In this season of being busy, rushing around, and spending too much money on holiday gifts, fun and free stuff sounds especially good.
For those in the San Diego area, there’s a Dressing Rehearsal on Thursday, December 12th from 6 to 8 pm at Whole Foods Market Encinitas (687 S Coast Highway 101, Encinitas, CA 92024)
And there’s a music performance with Mat Kearny on Saturday, December 14th from 4 to 6pm. Take a break from your holiday shopping to join a unique music and wine experience!
You’ll be able sit down with musician/songwriter, Mat Kearney, in a private setting prior to the public event. Taste some of his wonderful new wine, Verse and Chorus, and learn about his inspiration in a short Q & A session.
Mat Kearney was raised in Oregon, with vineyards in his parents’ backyard. He received critical acclaim for his debut album, Nothing Left to Lose, and is releasing his fifth album in the upcoming year. Now he is honoring his love for wine by working by working with two of the best family vineyards in Napa Valley to create a rich and flavorful bordeaux-style blend.
- Thursday, 12/12/13 from 6 to 8 pm
- Features of the event:
- Beer & Wine – Holiday favorites, pairings and sampling
- Holiday Cheese Board – How to create
- Premier Party Dips sampling
- Coffee and seasonal treats sampling
And for everyone, there’s a free national Cheese Night event that will be taking place in all Whole Foods stores on December 10.
Don’t know jack about cheese? Whole Foods Market removes the guess work with step-by-step instructions for an all-star cheese plate.
Tips for How to create a cheese board
• Pick cheeses of contrasting textures and flavors: creamy, firm, sweet, pungent.
• Contrast Old World cheeses with New World selections.
• On a budget? Buy one or two fantastic cheeses, rather than five or six so-so options.
• Two ounces of cheese per person is a good rule of thumb.
• Let sit at room temperature for 30-45 minutes before serving for optimal flavor.
• Serve with bread and crackers for different textures and flavors to accent the cheese.
• Talk to your cheesemonger. They can offer suggestions on which cheeses pair well with others. Not to mention, Whole Foods Market has 147 Certified Cheese Professionals™ in stores throughout the country, who have mastered the art of cheese from making to aging to handling. Don’t forget to ask for a taste!
One lucky winner will win a $100 Whole Foods Gift Card!
Winner will be notified by email and will have 24 hours to reply, at which point another winner will be selected if winner does not reply.
Using Rafflecopter, enter to win the giveaway by completing the first three tasks and any optional ways you’d like to enter.
Leave a blog comment below in response to the first question and follow the prompts for additional entries. Sometimes the widget is a bit slow to load, so please be patient.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Also be sure to enter the $100 Visa Gift Card Giveaway and the Outshine Fruit Bars Giveaway
We do not have a Whole Foods in our area, so I would head to the nearest one (about 2 hours away) and stock up on all the essentials! Things we do not carry at our local supermarket! This would be fabulous!
I’d buy groceries and smoothies!
Coconut oil! They have a fantastic selection.
I would buy peanut butter, black olives and all kinds of bulk foods.
I so wish this was in my area or I lived in CA. This event sounds fab! Love Mat Kearny!
Dairy-free treats for my daughter
Cheese for my daughter and the bulk bins for me!
I’d definitely hit up the bulk foods bins!!
I love the seafood selection at whole foods, though id probably buy some chocolate too!
I love Whole Foods and would love the gift card so I can feel better about buying food for holiday dinners there !!
I would hit up the Gluten Free Bakery !
i would buy a variety of things, nothing specific
That gift card would cover a whole lot of salad bar visits!
I would go to cheese area and bakery.
the bulk bins at Whole Foods are usually where I get lost… but I love their salmon candy from Indian River, the smoked trout is amazing, and I would probably buy the decadent chocolate discs that I never splurge on otherwise!
Since I shop at Whole Foods at least 1-2x a week, I’ll have no problems spending this gift card. : ) I’d buy produce and meat. Thanks, Averie.