ON THE CALENDAR

Well, it's good to be back and blogging after nearly a month of tech headaches. But, new laptop and operating systems are now up and running and I'm trying to catch up.

Here are some of the big fun events coming up in the next week or two.

            VINO is rolling out the latest edition of its wine lifestyle magazine this Friday (21st) in conjunction with a "Rock Star Winemakers" tasting. Join the juice jockeys from 3 to 5PM at the Niblick Rd. Albertsons in Paso Robles. On hand will be winemakers from Pozo Valley, L'Adventure/Clos Solene, Cass, Chateau Margene, D'Anbino and Halter Ranch. Tastings of recent releases are available for those of legal age, and autographed bottles will be offered for sale. VINO is also developing a web site at www.vinopasorobles.com.

            Savor the Central Coast (www.savorcentralcoast.com), a major annual gathering of wine and food fans, takes place beginning Thursday the 27th and runs through Sunday.  The main location is Santa Margarita Ranch but events include many locations in the region.

Celebrating three years with Sunset Magazine as the title sponsor, the festivities include celeb chefs such as Susan Feniger of Mandalay Bay and Food Network stars Aarti Sequeira from Aarti's Party and Ted Allen from Chopped. The event has an array of events (many of which have sold out), beginning with a gourmet kick off dinner at Hearst Castle on Thursday. The 28th features a variety of small group adventure tours, with some still having openings, plus the international wine competition and grand tasting in Pismo Beach. This includes a dinner (also sold out) but still has room for the reception and after party available.

The Sat/Sun main event, with tickets available for $85 per day or $150 the weekend, provides access to the primary public tasting and associated seminars for a $20 charge from the menu of topics covered. Local residents can check the box when buying tickets and receive a 15% discount for the main event. Check the web site for those listings and various cooking demonstrations and contest style shows. Tickets remain for the Santa Maria BBQ seminar on Saturday (2PM) and the Lamb Jam at 2:30 on Sunday.

One of the still open (50 slots remain as of this writing) events could well be the most fun and a huge value. Known as Paso Glow, it is a wine/beer garden plus Santa Maria style BBQ event with a group of well regarded local chefs from restaurants such as Villa Creek, Thomas Organics, Paso Robles Inn and Artisan, features meats from Harris Ranch and the mobile smokehouse of the Dean Brothers. Grammy award winning recording artists Rio Salinas will provide a Tex-Mex groove for your dancing pleasure. Starting at 6 in the evening, the cost is only $75!

Mary Ann, event marketing guru, suggests you plan early for next year if your favorite event has booked to the max this year! I still see many opportunities remain for a great weekend of Central Coast culture at the main event and a few openings remaining for the Friday adventure tours. These run from 10 to 2 and include lunch with wine.

            Fans of things that fly, including one of the original flying wing concepts, are looking forward to the Warbirds Over Paso airshow (www.ewarbirds.org). Held at the Paso Robles airport's Estrella Warbirds Museum (with co-sponsor Planes of Fame Museum) on Saturday the 29th, gates open at 8AM. Children under 12 and active military with ID are free. The $20 regular admission fee provides access to the car museum and static aircraft display as well as fly-overs and the opportunity to see a variety of WWII fighters and bombers. Some aircraft are offering ride-along opportunities. Food and beverage vendors will be on hand, including a Firestone-Walker beer garden, to sustain all the pilots, vets and those who fly or wish they could.