South Florida Food and Drink Events This Week: Yelp Spring Break, Tap Takeovers, Wine Dinners, and More

Around and around we go; today is the start to yet another lovely workweek. Hopefully, you have a bit of a spring in your step from some indulgent weekend activities. If not, don't fret; there are still plenty of events to keep you busy through your working days.

Whether you're looking to pick your own produce at a local farm, head to a Florida beer tap takeover, or celebrate the final weeks of spring break 2015, there are plenty of food and drink events taking place in Broward and Palm Beach counties this week.

Monday

Paint Night at Funky Buddha Brewery
One of Paint Nite’s mottoes as stated on its website is telling of the event company’s attitude toward life: “We believe accountants can paint and artists can analyze spreadsheets.” This inclusive and camaraderie-building, “let’s all get along” message lets you know up-front that Paint Nite, simply put, is a Color Me Mine-type of crafty venture in which craft beer flows and a group of strangers — preferably with zero artistic skills and/or inclinations — gets together to follow an instructor in creating a painting within two hours. While this might touch upon the hallowed realm of Bob Ross for some, it really is a fun way of spending an evening getting a little messy (in every sense of the word) and trying something outside of one’s comfort zone. The Funky Buddha Brewery, at 1201 NE 38th St. in Oakland Park, will host this Paint Nite event at 7 p.m. Monday. Tickets cost $45 and include all painting supplies as well as an apron. Visit paintnite.com.

Strawberry Picking at Bedner's Farm
Fruits and vegetables always taste better when you pick them out yourself. At Bedner's Farm Fresh Market you can pick your own strawberries — or some tomatoes and peppers — while shopping for other farm-fresh produce and products. This family-owned farm has been growing fruits and vegetables on an 80-acre plot at the end of Boynton Beach Boulevard for 60 years, and in recent years opened a market for its own and other locally grown produce. All your favorite fruits and vegetables are twice the quality and half the price of the average supermarket crud, and you can even find such rarities (in season) as delicate, golden squash blossoms and fresh wild mushrooms. Visit bedners.com.

Wednesday

Shine
Amp it up with the W Fort Lauderdale during Shine, a monthly event featuring cocktails, light bites, and a local DJ from 7 to 9 p.m. the third Wednesday of the month. Each Shine event highlights a different South Florida local LGBT charity or organization. Mix and mingle, raise a glass to a good cause, and shine on. 

Thursday

Local Tap Takeover at Wellington World of Beer
If you love local beer, head over to the Wellington World of Beer where each of the 50 taps will be pouring a local Florida brew. The event will take place all day long from open to close.

Whole Foods Winemaker Dinner with Damian Davis of Rainier Wines
On Thursday, April 16, Whole Foods Market in Boca Raton will host Damien Davis of Rainier Wines for a special wine pairing dinner. The market will be pairing dishes with select wines from the Rainer portfolio, presented by instructors Davis himself, as well as Melissa Woods, the store's certified sommelier and specialty associate team leader. The event will take plea from 6:30 to 8 p.m. and is $20 per person. Register online at the store website.

Delray Raw Meet & Greet
It's official: the Facebook group "Delray Raw" will host its first meet-and-greet event on Thursday, April 16, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at Smoke BBQ. Enjoy the bar's 3-4-1 happy hour drinks and half-priced select appetizers while getting to know the people behind Delray Raw.


The New Californian Wine: Donkey and Goat Pairing Dinner
This Thursday, join Cafe Boulud in Palm Beach for a special wine pairing dinner event. Sommelier Mariya Kovacheva will host her monthly themed wine dinner and feature the new Californian wine known as Donkey and Goat. According to Kovacheva, Donkey and Goat is the story of a couple and their dream to make natural, balanced, and transparent wines from a diverse range of California’s terroirs. After a stint at the Eric Texier’s winery in the Rhone Valley, Tracey and Jared Brandt came to the United States to start their own winery. Their philosophy since has been to produce wines in the most natural way possible. Typically, they seek out vineyards located in cooler climate with unique, expressive soils that influence the resulting wines. Donkey and Goat produce a diverse range of wines, but at the heart are Rhone varietals including Syrah, Grenache, Mourvedre, and a Rousanne. The dinner will feature a selection of the winery’s signature wines, which will be showcased in a delectable, four-course pairing menu created by executive chef Rick Mace and pastry chef Eric Snow. Winemaker Jared Brandt will be the evening's special guest. Reservations are required to the dinner, which costs $95 per person. The evening begins with a reception at 6:30 p.m., followed by dinner at 7 p.m. Visit danielnyc.com.

Yelp Spring Break 2015 Meet-and-Greet
Meet the team behind the 2015 Yelp Spring Break: all those community and regional managers from around the U.S. who have been hard at work to make this year's spring break the biggest and baddest ever. In addition to the team meet-and-greet, participants will be able to meet other Yelpers who are in town for the special spring break event. Enjoy adult milkshakes made with Kraken rum and small bites provided by the event host, the Atlantic Surf Club, as you look out over Fort Lauderdale Beach. The event takes place from noon to 2 p.m. at the Atlantic Surf Club. Reservations are mandatory to attend this event, and participants must be 21 or older. Visit the Yelp event page to RSVP. 

Yelp Spring Break Party
Kick off the official Yelp Spring Break party in honor of this year's mascot – Pink the Flamingo – at Yelp’s Sunset Sips: A Pink Affair. The dress code for this one is simple: Wear pink. Pack your pink shirts, tops, dresses, pants, wigs, face paint, and let your imagination run wild. The B Ocean hotel will host the event on its private beach and pool area. Enjoy small bites from the B Ocean and sip on craft cocktails and beer – all while the sun sets on the first day of Yelp Spring Break. The event takes place from 6 to 8 p.m. at B Ocean. Visit the Yelp event page for more information.

Nicole Danna is a food writer covering Broward and Palm Beach counties. To get the latest in food and drink news in South Florida, follow her @SoFloNicole or find her latest food pics on the BPB New Times Food & Drink Instagram.