Stella Rosa pop-up in Chinatown

The free, two-week-long “Wish Upon A Stella Rosa” pop-up opens on Saturday, Aug. 17, from 6 to 9 p.m. Sample a selection of award-winning wines imported from a small town in Northern Italy by California’s Riboli family of San Antonio Winery. This 21-year-and-over pop-up will auction off custom-painted wine bottles created by local artists that night. All proceeds will go to the charity of the artists’ choice, including California Fire Foundation, Cheech Marin Center for Chicano Art, artworxLA and many more. Limited availability continues from Aug. 21 through Sept. 1. Themed rooms, such as the Sweet Room, Pearl Room and Neon 3D Room, showcase the best of Stella Rosa. These rooms are free to explore, but guests must reserve their spot at eventbrite.com/e/the-wish-upon-a-stella-rosa-pop-up-experience-tickets-68505591067. Tickets are available online only and no walk-ins are allowed. 555 N. Spring St.

Peninsula Beverly Hills Mooncakes

The Peninsula Hong Kong’s highly-coveted mooncakes are now available for purchase at the Peninsula Beverly Hills. Celebrate the upcoming mid-autumn festival with a box of eight delicious individual mooncakes for $108. Pre-orders can be e-mailed to diningPBH@peninsula.com. 9882 S. Santa Monica Blvd., (310)788-2332.

Mermaid tiki mug

To celebrate its first anniversary, the Mermaid is releasing a commemorative tiki mug. Pre-sale mugs are available until Sunday, Aug. 18. Guests can join the festivities on Aug. 20 with a tiki mug release party, and each mug comes with a complimentary MerTiki cocktail. Refill with a $5 tropical drink from 5 p.m. to midnight. Bring your mug back to the bar again for drink discounts. Also on Aug. 22, a new rotating highball will be offered on the late-night happy hour menu while resident DJs spin from 10 p.m. to closing. 428 E. 2nd St., (213)947-3347.

A nourished spirit at Hotel Palomar

Double Take at Hotel Palomar Los Angeles in Beverly Hills is hosting a four-part Pen2Paper Project series that marries the art of letter writing with cocktails. The workshop starts on Aug. 22 at 7 p.m. Food and drink pairings from lead bartender Sarah Mengoni guide participants along creative writing exercises. Tickets are $30 per workshop and include food and drink pairings, journal and 15% dining discount at Double Take. Proceeds will benefit the Careers through Culinary Arts Program. Tickets are available at eventbrite.com/o/the-pen2paper-project-25004304437. 10740 Wilshire Blvd., (310)474-7765.

Special Beauty & Essex dinner

Celebrity Chef Chris Santos and special guest Chef Antonia Lofaso from Dama are hosting one of the Los Angeles Food & Wine Festival’s coveted kickoff dinners on Thursday, Aug. 22, starting a 6:30 p.m. This one-night-only collaborative culinary journey includes a specialty cocktail followed by a five-course seated dinner. Standout dishes include Aguachile with kanpachi, whole snapper with escabeche, lime and pineapple, and carne asada with Iberia secreto served with griddled corn tortillas and tequila scallions. There are only 50 seats available at $150 per seat. For tickets, go to nightout.com/events/los-angeles-food-wine-kick-off-dinner-series-beauty-and-essex/tickets. 1615 N. Cahuenga Blvd., (323)676-8880.

Lobster love at Monsieur Marcel

On Thursdays, indulge in fresh lobster, steamed or grilled, with a choice of any side and a glass of wine for $58 per person at Monsieur Marcel’s classic French brasserie at the Original Farmers Market. On Thursday, Aug. 29, the evening will include a special live appearance by the renowned musicial group Frances Livings’ Ipanema Lounge, performing a repertoire of sensual and enticing Mediterranean, Latin pop and jazz songs in English, French, Spanish and Portuguese. Monsieur Marcel’s seafood offers fresh seafood available from sustainable fisheries, always sourced locally when possible, with Farmers Market vegetables and an extensive wine list from all around the world. 6333 W. 3rd St. #150, (323)939-7792.

The Taste from the Los Angeles Times

Get your tickets early for a food festival at the iconic Paramount Pictures Studios backlot on Aug. 30 through Sept. 1. The Taste features three distinct evening events, each with its own unique cooking demonstrations and culinary conversations with renowned chefs. Ticket holders receive unlimited tastings from the area’s best restaurants, plus a variety of wine, beer and seasonal cocktails. Highlights for this year include a sake demo by Courtney Kaplan (Ototo), a demo for home cooks on how to make a relaxed Italian meal by Chris Bianco (Tartine Bianco), and Spanish-inspired dishes by Teresa Montaño (Otoño). Select bites will be available from Nic’s on Beverly, Pop’s Bagels, LBK Pizzeria, the Bazaar by José Andrés, Le Comptoir and more. Tickets are on sale now and range from $115 to $190 online at events.latimes.com/taste. 5555 Melrose Ave.

Chao Krung’s 50th anniversary

Now through Aug. 31, enjoy a 50% discount on housemade pad Thai to celebrate this family-run restaurant’s success. Executive Chef Amanda uses the highest quality market-fresh ingredients, meats and scratch-made sauces to produce exotic and flavorful dishes. Her sister Katy runs the restaurant, open for lunch and dinner starting at 11:30 a.m. 111 N. Fairfax Ave., (323)939-8361.

Emilia opens on Burton Way

The creator of Amici Brentwood opened a stunning new all-day Northern Italian eatery in the former home of The Larder on Burton Way. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, Emilia’s Italian menu has a broad appeal in an inviting space. 8500 Burton Way, (424)999-4755.

New Cafe Del Rey chef and menu

Cafe Del Rey recently refreshed its dining room to offering 180-degree marina views. The new Executive Chef Job Carder used to dine at Café Del Rey with his grandfather, and now he is in charge of the kitchen. Dishes on the menu include lobster mac & cheese, fresh seafood towers and a variety of crudos. Open for lunch, brunch, happy hour and dinner. 4451 Admiralty Way, (310)823-6395.

Red Velvet pancakes

The signature restaurant Eve at the Mayfair Hotel has a brand-new breakfast menu featuring red velvet pancakes slathered with chocolate, sweet cream and maple butter. A sumptuous breakfast sandwich is made with bacon, tomato, fried egg, cheddar and greens on a brioche bun. Try the new breakfast burrito filled with breakfast sausage, bacon, ham, cheddar cheese and tater tots for additional crunch. It’s coated with grated mozzarella cheese, melted and lightly crisped before served with a blend of homemade salsas, dollop of guacamole and sour cream. 1256 W. 7th St., (213)632-1210.