Things to do this week include booking a reservation for Valentine's Day -- something that needs to happen quickly if you don't want to be shut out of the game -- or making plans for a special pre-Valentine's outing. There are plenty of fun date ideas for the weekend, but no shortage of options for singles and/or those who couldn't be bothered with the lovey-dovey crap and instead want to focus on food and drink.
After the jump find an assortment of food and drink related activities this week and weekend in Broward and Palm Beach Counties:
Tuesday:
Stone Brew Night -- World of Beer in Coconut Creek will host a Stone Brewery night with beers from the craft brewer on tap and in the bottle. Scheduled to appear are choices like the More Brown Than Black IPA and Oaked Arrogant Bastard. The event starts at 7 p.m.
Wednesday:
Full Moon Party -- This recurring party is held on the seventh floor poolside lounge at The Ritz-Carlton, Fort Lauderdale. You don't have to pay a cover charge to attend, but plan for valet parking ($7) and drink money. Make a $10 donation to the selected charitable group -- this month it is the Sun-Sentinel Children's Fund -- and you'll get a cocktail. In honor of Valentine's Day, you can down chocolate-infused cocktails from a heart-shaped ice luge. The party is 7 to 10 p.m.
Thursday:
Eleventh Annual Chocolate Decadence -- You will find tons of chocolatey indulgences at this event, but there's also some "real food" to be had. Admission includes samplings from local restaurants like Blue Martini, Rocco's Tacos and Tequila Bar, and Oceans 234. The VIP section also has bites from Philippe Chow, Euro Fusion, and Truluck's, among others. The event is 6 to 9 p.m. at The Shops at Boca Center. Tickets are $35 for regular admission and $75 for VIP and proceeds benefit the Junior League of Boca Raton.
Friday - Sunday:
Delray Beach Garlic Fest -- Vampires beware; the Garlic Fest is Friday through Sunday in downtown Delray Beach, with vendors selling everything from whole roasted garlic to garlic pizza and garlic ice cream. Local chefs will face off in the Garlic Chef Stadium and live music is offered throughout the weekend. Admission is $10 for adults and the fest is open 4 to 11 p.m. Friday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday.
Florida Renaissance Festival -- Come for the costumes (ahem, ladies in tight corsets), stay for the comically over-sized turkey legs, Scotch eggs, and ale. The festival is every weekend through March 11 at Quiet Waters Park in Deerfield. Buy tickets online.
Fort Lauderdale Greek Festival -- While this event celebrates all cultural aspects of the Greek heritage, there's no arguing that food is a big draw at this annual festival hosted by St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church, 815 N.E. 15th Ave., Fort Lauderdale. Find all manner of popular Greek indulgences like stuffed grape leaves, saganaki, spanikopita, Greek wines and beers, and baklava. The festival is noon to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday and noon to 8 p.m. Sunday. Admission is $5.
Saturday:
Valentine's Day cooking demo -- Learn about ideal food couplings at Publix Apron's Cooking School in Boca Raton and you may just acquire the skills you need to make your own V-Day dinner next week. This food demo at 6:30 p.m. will showcase matches like spinach salad and vanilla orange vinaigrette, and peanut butter S'more cupcakes. The cost is $60 per person. Book a spot online.
Laser Wolf One-Year Anniversary -- The Laser Wolf in Fort Lauderdale is celebrating its first year in business with a party from 6 p.m. to close. Resident DJs will provide tunes for the 21 and older event.
Sunday:
Valentine's Day Breakfast at the Zoo -- Score points with the kids with a trip to the Palm Beach Zoo for a hot breakfast buffet -- including an omelet station, biscuits and gravy, and bagels and lox -- and animal encounters. The price of breakfast -- anywhere from free to $31.95 per person -- includes an all-day admission to the zoo. Breakfast is served at 8:30, 10, and 11:30 a.m. Call 561-547-9453 by Thursday to reserve a spot.
Down the Line:
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