Recently in Livermore/Tri-Valley Category

Tri-Valley/Livermore Wine Country is a great wine and golf destination for many visitors and is also surprisingly affordable with a wide array of golf course selections to meet every skills level. The Tri-Valley golf scene offers 13 courses, many of which wind through vineyards and rolling hills. Golf-minded visitors have plenty of options.

The Bridges is a stunning golf club that hosts a large destination restaurant and accompanying new wine bar. The newest addition, Callippe Preserve, earned the "Most Worth The Green Fee" award for all of Northern California in 2010 by Greenskeeper.org. In sync with tightening budgets, but scenic and beautiful, this challenging course provides a restaurant with views over the Tri-Valley and of Mt. Diablo.

Corporate visitors may opt to play at the Greg Norman-designed Course at Wente Vineyards, which was designated as a "Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary" by the Audobon Cooperative Sanctuary Program for Golf Courses in 2010 for maintaining a high degree of environmental quality. Or watch the sun set over rolling hills at Poppy Ridge Golf Course. 

The 2012 Livermore Valley Harvest Wine Celebration marks the 31st year that people have gathered over Labor Day Weekend to enjoy the fruit of the vines in one of California's oldest wine regions.

Local wineries will offer Livermore Valley's best wine, food, art and music Sunday, September 2 and Monday, September 3 between noon and 5 p.m. Join the fun and festivities and don't forget to purchase tickets early ($55 in advance for 2 day celebration or $65 at the event.

Make it a vacation this Labor Day Weekend in Livermore Wine Country! On top of wine tasting at the festival in Livermore, the Tri-Valley area offers several places to stay and restaurants to dine.. While the ladies do a little shopping or indulge with a spa treatment, the fellas can take advantage of the golf scene with courses at Wente Vineyard, Poppy Ridge Golf Course or Callippe Preserve.

Mark Your Calendars

Dublin St. Patrick's Day Celebration
March 17, 2012 - March 18, 2012 - Civic Plaza

• Festival Friday & Saturday, March 17 & 18 10:00am - 5:00pm.
• Green & White Gala: Friday, March 16, 7:00pm - Dublin Senior Center.
• Parade: Saturday, March 17, 9:30am - Dublin Blvd.
• Pancake Breakfast: Saturday, Macrh 17, 7:00 - 10:00am - Fire Station #16.
• Shamrock 5K Fun Run & Walk: Sunday, March 18, 8:30am - Civic Plaza.

Goodguys 30th All American Get-Together
March 24 - March 25, 2012 - Alameda County Fairgrounds
4501 Pleasanton Avenue, Pleasanton, CA 94566-7001

Features: Over 3,000 All American or American Powered Rods, Customs, Classics, Muscle Cars, Street Machines & Trucks • Vendors & Exhibitors • Indoor & Outdoor Car Show • Huge Swap Meet & Cars 4 Sale Corral • Model & Pedal Car Show • Arts & Crafts Show • Kids Play Area • Pinstripers Brush Bash & Auction. For more information visit www.allamericangettogether.com


Barrel Tasting Weekend
March 31, 2012 - April 1, 2012 -- March 31-April 1, 2012 (12-4:30pm)

Sample wines right out of the barrel from over 35 wineries during Livermore Valley's 4th Annual Barrel Tasting Weekend. This is your chance to taste wines before they have been bottled, getting a behind the scenes look into the wine-making process. Meet winemakers, bottle your own wines, enjoy food pairings, and other activities that vary by winery. Tickets
are $30 advance ($35 event day) and include: 2 days of barrel tasting, exclusive discounts, keepsake glass, and special activities at each winery. For a list of activities, participating wineries, and to purchase tickets, visit www.LVwine.org.

CLICK HERE for all events over the next 7 days.

All around California, restaurants are celebrating the month of January with fabulous dining specials and savings for lunch and/or dinner. Splurge, savor, and save is the name of the game. See if your favorite restaurant or one you always wanted to try is on the list in the regions below.

Gold Country. You may not find gold, but with savings on food like these, you might as well have! Restaurant Week in Gold Country is January 32-30 with a grand finale on January 30th where the area's finest chefs will offer a unique opportunity to be an El Dorado Epicurean in a countywide progressive dinner. More Details

Monterey County. Catch some fresh seafood in Monterey during Restaurant Month. Participating restaurants are offering prix fixe dinner menus for $20.11 all month long. More Details.

Napa Valley - see our Food Writer's top restaurant picks for deals and steals. Or see the full list of Napa Valley restaurants and their specials here.

Santa Barbara Wine Country

• Santa Barbara -Dubbed "Film Feast", the prix fixe restaurant program coincides with the Santa Barbara International Film Festival all happening January 27-Feb 6, 2011. Film goers and foodies are invited to choose from "Short" (two-course), "Feature" (three-course) and "Epic" (four-course) length seasonal menus at participating restaurants. MORE DETAILS.
  
• Santa Ynez Valley - The foodie fun begins January 23rd and ends January 29th. It's this region's first time participating in Restaurant Month and they will be featuring special 3-course tasting menus for $20.11. A list of participating restaurants is listed, but you will need to contact restaurants directly for specific days, dining hours and to make reservations. MORE DETAILS.

Enjoy a true culinary extravaganza-Taste of Tri-Valley Restaurant Week between January 23rd - January 30th!  During this fabulous event ,  food lovers will have the opportunity to enjoy a prix fixe meal, specialty dish or special offer at Tri-Valley restaurants. Some of the finest, most renowned chefs and restaurants in the Tri-Valley will showcase their culinary styles for diners. The event will feature an array of well-known restaurants, casual dining establishments and local purveyors that will provide one of a kind dining experiences offered during this week only.  

Participating Restaurants include Terra Mia, The Peasant and the Pear, The Restaurant at Wente Vineyards, The Farmer Restaurant at the Pleasanton Hotel, Blue Agave Grill, Eddie Papa's American Hangout, Campo Di Bocce, Swirl on the Square, Porters Restaurant at Poppy Ridge.

No tickets or passes are required for Taste of Tri-Valley Restaurant Week. Diners simply dine out at as many participating restaurants as they like all week.

Visit www.trivalleycvb.com/tasteoftrivalley to download and print restaurant coupons for Tri-Valley Restaurant Week!