Blog
Ultimate Foodie Gift For the Holidays!
12.13.10
Looking for the perfect holiday gift for the foodie who has it all? How about a 10-day culinary adventure of a lifetime?
Acclaimed chef Mark McDonald of Old VineCafé (named 2009’s ‘Best Restaurant in OC’ by OC Weekly), along with master chef John Nocita from the Italian Culinary Institute, are hosting a gastronomic excursion to Italy, where guests will spend 10 days exploring and eating their way through the southern regions of Calabria and Sicily.
Activities include: making 50 kinds of pasta alongside chefs from the Italian Culinary Institute, dining in some of the region’s best restaurants, touring wineries and sampling olive oil and cured meats produced on-site at local farms.
“Most, if not all culinary travels to Italy are centered on the region of Tuscany, so we’rereally excited to be able to show people a less-discovered region of Italian history, wines and cuisine,” McDonald said. “It’s also where I lived to broaden my culinary training, so this trip is nostalgic for me.”
There are only a few spots left for the culinary tour of Southern Italy, which is slated for March 5-14, 2011. 714.655.6142 or splendorsofsouthitaly@yahoo.
com.
Dining
Turkish Delight in OC!
12.10.10
GG’s Bistro is a favorite Laguna Beach restaurant serving a combination of authentic Turkish and Italian cuisine. So here’s your spot if you’re craving some Mediterranean favorites like hummus, borek filled with Feta, Swiss cheese, and sautéed onion rings; spaghetti Bolognese; fresh panini sandwiches served on focaccia or ciabatta; Alexander gyro kebabs; a variety of shish kebabs and even Turkish tea and coffee.
Choose from breakfast items such as French toast, Turkish toast (grilled cheese panini with Kashkaval cheese, with Turkish sausage), Mediterranean plate, and tasty omelets served with hash browns. At lunch, selections include freshly made soups, salads, appetizers, and hot pita sandwiches; and at dinner choose also from fresh seafood entrees, lamb dishes, pastas and much more.
Leave room for dessert. GG’s specializes in homemade Baklava, crème brulee cheesecake and tiramisu.
Enjoy live jazz Wednesday evenings 6:30 to 9:30 p.m.; and happy hour 4 to 6: 30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Open 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday; 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday. 540 S. Coast Highway, Suite 108 in Laguna Beach. 949.494.9306.
Follow Greer on Pinterest
from the blog
- 01.30.25 – Tomatomania Returns: The Ultimate Tomato Plant Sale at Roger’s Gardens
- 01.29.25 – Stonefire Grill Supports Wildfire Relief with Meal Donations and Fundraising Match
- 01.29.25 – GANNI Warehouse Sale: 70% Off in Tustin This Week
- 01.29.25 – Pacific Symphony Rings in the Year of the Snake with a Spectacular Lunar New Year Celebration
- 01.27.25 – Support LA: An Evening of Giving at Westwood Coast
- 01.27.25 – Boots & I-Do’s: A Bridal Market at Swanner House
- 01.27.25 – Renaissance ClubSport Introduces RGT Training System at The Edge
- 01.27.25 – Twyla Tharp 60th Anniversary at Segerstrom Center for the Arts
- 01.24.25 – E20 Training Brings Cutting-Edge Fitness to Costa Mesa
- 01.24.25 – Lunar New Year Afternoon Tea at Knife Pleat
- 01.24.25 – The Crack Shack Kicks Off the New Year with Bold New Flavors
- 01.22.25 – The Rent The Runway Warehouse Sale
- 01.22.25 – Dinner and a Show: Kimberly Akimbo & The Park Club
- 01.20.25 – California Wildfire Benefit Dinner at Bello
- 01.20.25 – Celebrate Romance in Temecula This February and Beyond
- 01.18.25 – Born in OC Lunch & Learn with Greer Wylder at Zov’s
- 01.13.25 – Supporting Animals in Crisis: ASPCA and Pasadena Humane Respond to Southern California Wildfires
- 01.13.25 – LA Fire Benefit: A Night of Music & Community at The Wayfarer
- 01.10.25 – Support LA Fire Relief Efforts at HAVEN, PROVISIONS, and Chapman Crafted Beer
- 01.03.25 – SoCal Spots Serving Dry January Mocktails!
More Daily Doses
- 01.29.25 – Celebrate Lunar New Year with Incredible Dining Experiences at South Coast Plaza
- 01.27.25 – Ospi Costa Mesa Brings Southern Italian Flavors to Orange County
- 01.27.25 – Explore, Dine, and Relax: Catalina Island’s Winter Getaway Packages
- 01.23.25 – Wild Strawberry Café Opens in Laguna Beach
- 01.22.25 – Ring in the Year of the Snake with Festive Fun at The District Tustin!
- 01.20.25 – The Winter Cocktail Tour at The District at Tustin Legacy
- 01.19.25 – Graze Craze Expands to Costa Mesa with Charcuterie Boards & Boxes
- 01.18.25 – Segerstrom Center for the Arts Presents: An Intimate Evening with David Foster and Katharine McPhee
- 01.15.25 – NEP Café Redefines Modern Vietnamese Dining with a Bold New Chapter
- 01.13.25 – Over 110 O.C. Restaurants Unite for Wildfire Relief Fundraiser – Tuesday, Jan. 14
- 01.02.25 – Segerstrom Center for the Arts Presents GRAHAM100
- 12.30.24 – Book Signing & Conversation with Greer Wylder: Born in OC
- 12.29.24 – Ring in the New Year at Triangle Square: Dining, Dancing, and More
- 12.25.24 – Mr. Moto Pizza Brings Its Legendary Funky Pies to Orange County in Early 2025
- 12.23.24 – RH Newport Beach: A Masterpiece of Design and Dining at Fashion Island
- 12.23.24 – River Street Marketplace Welcomes First Wave of Shops and Eateries to San Juan Capistrano
- 12.20.24 – Restored Crystal Cove Cottages Now Open for Online Reservations
- 12.16.24 – Molly O’Neil Opens Luxury Design Studio and Home Decor Shop in Costa Mesa
- 12.16.24 – Celebrate the Season in Style at RJB Restaurants’ Coastal Favorites
- 12.11.24 – Mercado Mesa: A New Culinary Experience at Paseo 17
