It’s been a whirlwind the last couple of weeks and now that Christmas is behind us—and you’ve returned all those awful sweaters for something a little more chic—it’s time to figure out how you want to ring in the New Year.
The one and only Mario Martinoli has landed in Riviera Village with his new Dolce Vita Café and he’s brought along a time-honored family tradition! Mario has travelled the globe cooking and sharing food with people from all walks of life. For fifteen years, he invited family, friends and total strangers to break bread at his famous table. Mario’s table is back and it’s right here in the South Bay. Mario’s Cooking for Friends Cooking Classes and Tastings have taken place all during December and the last class is Thursday, Dec. 27. Each class is limited to 15 people and begins at 6 p.m. The classes run for 3 hours including dinner and the cost is $50 per person, per class.
Tonight Mario offers a few ideas for your New Year’s Day meal:
- Mario’s Version of Sausage and Mixed Peppers Sandwiches (with Once a Year Special New Year’s Day Italian Cottochino Sausage)
- Good Luck Lentils with Freshly Baked Bread
- Sweet Ricotta Filled Fresh Made Beignet
Sounds delicious!
‘Like’ them at facebook.com/mariosdolcevitacafe and receive a $5 discount. Attendees will also receive a 10 percent discount coupon for the Catalina Cooking Store. To sign up for classes and additional information, visit the website at dolcevitacaferedondo.com or call 310 844-7462.
The South Bay offers so many enjoyable pastimes during the holiday season. One of the most popular happens in the Sleepy Hollow neighborhood of Torrance. Taking place for over 40 years, the Sleepy Hollow Christmas Lights Extravaganza (also known as Candy Cane Lane) is one of the largest holiday decoration displays in the country. You can walk or drive through the neighborhood reveling in the sights, sounds and scents of the season. It’s a wonderful way to spend the evening and one the entire family will enjoy and remember for years to come. The wildly extravagant decorations are on display from Dec. 1 through Jan. 1 from about 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. For more information and directions, visit the Facebook page.
Chez Melange is offering an Afternoon Tea Holiday Party every day during the month of December. Pick any afternoon from 3 to 6 p.m. and enjoy a few peaceful, restorative hours in the company of friends and loved ones. Relax over assorted teas sandwiches, a selection of scones, crumpets and pastries, champagne or sherry and loose leaf tea or coffee. Holiday Tea reservations require a minimum of ten guests per party. The cost is $25 per person, gratuity and tax not included. It’s time to gather your weary, huddled friends yearning for a break from all the holiday madness. For more information and reservations, call 310-540-1222 or visit the website at chezmelange.com. Chez Melange is located at 1611 S. Catalina Ave. in Redondo Beach.
If you want to kick off the New Year in grand fashion there’s only one place to be this year! Terranea Resort presents a New Year’s Eve Club Celebration on Monday. The festivities get under way at 9 p.m. at this upscale dance club and lounge. The event features the high energy mixes of DJ Dominic Carter which will have you dancing the night away. When your feet need a break, sit back and relax with a glass of champagne while enjoying the Zen Arts performances by Dream World Cirque. General admission tickets include admission, open bar, hors d’ oeuvres, a countdown champagne toast and a late night buffet. Tickets purchased after December 15 are $195 per person. Tickets purchased at the door will be $220. For more information and ticket purchase, visit the website at terranea.com/new-year-s-eve-club-celebration.php or call 310-265-2836. Terranea Resort is located at 100 Terrenea Way in Rancho Palos Verdes.
Head to Pier Plaza in Hermosa Beach to ring in the New Year the South Bay way! The Hermosa Beach Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Bureau present a New Year’s Eve Celebration on the Plaza on Monday beginning at 7:30 p.m. The event is open to the public and admission is free. The fabulous Lou Giovannetti and His Big Band Orchestra will be performing standards from the big band era, so be sure to wear your dancin’ shoes! A live telecast of the Times Square ball drop will play on a 9 x 12 video screen at 9 p.m. A replay will be shown at midnight for the west coast count down. This is a very popular event and if you plan to have dinner at one of the many area restaurants, reservations are highly recommended. Be sure to bring your party hats and noise makers! Pier Plaza is located at the western-most end of Pier Avenue in Hermosa Beach. For more information, call 310-376-0951 or visit the website.
Celebrate the New Year in style—Bond style—at Manhattan Beach's Shade Hotel. Shade Royale offers guests the opportunity to step out of the ordinary and into something a bit more, shall we say, risqué? You’ll want to set the tone for the evening with an understated, yet elegant, entrance in Bond chic attire. Order a martini—shaken, not stirred—and consider your options: play it cool in the VIP poker lounge or go for broke at one of the gaming tables? A live DJ will keep the temperature on the dance floor at a sultry level as you savor hors d’oeuvres while covertly scanning the room for interesting and exotic suspects. You might want to keep the Aston Martin in gear for a quick getaway. Tickets are $75 per person and include hors d’oeuvres, gaming chips and a midnight champagne toast. The event benefits the Steve Nash Foundation. Shade Hotel is located at 1221 North Valley Drive in Manhattan Beach. For more information and ticket purchase, visit the website at shadehotel.com. For table reservations and bottle service, call Brian at 310-546-4995.
By now, everyone has heard that I was chosen as Total Wine & More’s Local Favorite for the month of December. I met with their wine expert at the Redondo Beach superstore for a wine tasting and chose a few vintages we’ve been recommending to consumers. A display with my choices will be featured in all Total Wine & More stores in Southern California during December so be sure to stop in and let me know what you think of my picks! You can read all about it on the Feature Stories’ page here: http://southbaybyjackie.com/feature-stories.php.
As always, check the calendar links and ‘Things to Do’ page on my website, southbaybyjackie.com, for details on these and other events throughout the South Bay.
On The South Bay Show this morning, Joe and I discussed some of the New Year’s Eve events taking place throughout the South Bay. Don’t worry, if you missed it, you can listen to it online.
Starting next Thursday, we’ll be doing a series of shows focusing on the upcoming municipal elections in March. Our guests include candidates from around the South Bay and next week our very first guest will be Mark Henderson who is running for a seat on the Gardena City Council. Listen live when it airs or at your leisure online.
Wishing you and your families a happy, healthy and safe New Year! Have a great South Bay weekend!
Jackie
