Spotlight

Goodbye, Grand Decant. Hello, Icons + Legends! The 2026 San Diego Food + Wine Festival (November 1–8) reimagined its opening night, and as a Certified Sommelier, I approve. On Friday, November 6, JULEP debuts Icons + Legends: rare global and domestic vintages, prestige wines and top-shelf spirits, poured by the makers themselves, alongside plates from Michelin-awarded and James Beard-acclaimed chefs. Bottles with stories, plates with pedigree. Want ultra-exclusive? A 50-person VIP tier is built around caviar and wine. Less shuffle, more swirl.

So, what about the rest of the weekend? Here’s the real news. For the first time, the Saturday Grand Tasting and the Sunday Grand Fiesta share one address: Embarcadero Marina Park North, side by side along San Diego Bay. One gorgeous outdoor venue, one game plan, no crisscrossing town. You show up, you taste, you taste again, and you stay. The whole point of a foodie+drinkie festival.

Saturday’s Grand Tasting swaps booth-crawling for themed culinary districts, from Smoke + Fire to Sweet Street to South of the Border. Grazing with a purpose.

Then comes Sunday, with the wildly popular Grand Fiesta, a celebration of Mexico and the San Diego–Baja connection. Expect unique Mexican wines and spirits (Baja is serious wine & food country, so pay attention), bold coastal and borderland cooking, live music, Latin American art, and Baja chefs with Michelin recognition, including Javier Plascencia, plating up their art. Go ahead, pair a taco with a Mexican wine and tell me I’m wrong. The result: a more polished, seamless weekend that still tastes like San Diego.

For tickets and more, click here.

Opening week at Skywalker Grill turned into one of those spectacular Los Angeles evenings where dinner becomes so much more than simply going out to eat.

From the moment we arrived, the experience was incredible.

Being vegetarian, I’m always interested to see how a restaurant handles special dietary requirements, and they were incredibly accommodating. I certainly didn’t go hungry! We enjoyed beautiful breads, a delicious salad, burrata with gorgeous tomatoes, a warm spinach dip and pasta. There was also plenty for the meat eaters at our table, including a very impressive burger and fries. Everyone was happy.

We were celebrating an anniversary, and at the end of dinner they surprised us with a special dessert. It was such a thoughtful and beautiful gesture and made our celebration even more memorable.

After dinner, we stopped into the Lucas Museum, and honestly, it was astounding. The collection is incredible, and we barely scratched the surface. We managed to see the Star Wars collection, Norman Rockwell and some of the anime and animation exhibits, and there was so much more we simply didn’t have time to explore.

I walked out thinking, I’m going to need at least three more days there!

A spectacular dinner, wonderful service, incredible art and a beautiful anniversary celebration. What an amazing evening in Los Angeles.

For more, click here.

Breakfast at The Culver Hotel feels less like a meal and more like stepping into a beautifully preserved chapter of Hollywood history. From the moment we entered the grand lobby, with its soaring ceilings, elegant furnishings, glowing fireplace and polished piano, I felt transported to a more glamorous time.

The staff could not have been more welcoming. Although we arrived without a reservation, they graciously found us a table beside the fireplace. Reservations are definitely recommended, especially for a leisurely weekend breakfast or brunch, but we were fortunate to be accommodated.

The menu is perfectly curated for breakfast and brunch, with enough variety to satisfy both traditional tastes and lighter appetites. I ordered the breakfast burrito and asked to substitute egg whites and add avocado. The kitchen handled my requests beautifully, and the result was fresh, generous and delicious, served with a flavorful sauce on the side. My guest chose the huevos rancheros, presented in a sizzling cast-iron skillet and topped with avocado and cheese.

Between the food, gracious service, remarkable architecture and cinematic surroundings, breakfast at The Culver Hotel became a complete Los Angeles experience—nostalgic, stylish and wonderfully unexpected. It was a memorable addition to the morning.

For reservations and more, click here.

Tucked into Lincoln Heights, Benny Boy Brewing is a delightful destination that delivers an experience worth leaving the house and even braving a bit of traffic. Husband-and-wife team Benny Farber and Chelsey Rosetter opened the spot in 2022, bringing a Belgian-style brewery, cider house, tank bar, and roomy outdoor beer garden together under one very fun roof. It feels like a giant neighborhood backyard—complete with fire pits, fresh pours, and plenty of room to catch up with friends.

Beer comes straight from the tank, while the cider is made with 100 percent California apples. The brews lean toward unfiltered, naturally carbonated European styles, and the ciders bring a bright, fruit-forward West Coast twist. Lager lovers, ale adventurers, and cider fans can all find something fabulous to suit their palate.

This is a really special place in a city that can sometimes feel unwelcoming. The beer garden keeps things lively with rotating food trucks, pop-ups, themed events, live music, watch parties and multi-day festivals, so there is always a good reason to visit.  Leashed dogs are welcome, and free Wi-Fi plus plenty of outlets make it possible to answer a few emails before rewarding yourself with a pint.

At 1821 Daly Street, Benny Boy sits just minutes from DTLA but feels like a mini getaway.  If you are 21 and over – with limited exceptions for infants in strollers – the Benny Boy crew invites you to come curious, leave connected.

For more, click here.