While we've just entered the first week of spring, I'm already daydreaming about outdoor foodie festivities, picnics and patios. We're close but not there quite yet. While that shiny, hot orb in the sky teases us for just awhile, we are going to select a few foodie-themed festivities before we begin kicking off the season of lists! Most of these blip across my radar due to their matrimony of two of my favorite things in life: grub and philanthropy. Check it.
The Blue Octopus is hosting a Ranch Style Mexican Meal course Sunday, March 31, at noon. What I admire most is the opportunity to learn not just a recipe but a handful that complement each other, which makes it perfect for entertaining. Again, we are looking forward to our outdoor gatherings -- take this one to the backyard! This scratch-made meal will include Red Rice, Chicken Achiote Stuffed with Olive, Mushrooms and Raisins, and Home-Made Flan. Molly Alvarado of La Paloma Marketplace will be guiding the class through hands-on, meal prep instruction. 3820 N. 27th St., Tacoma, theblueoctopus.com
Puyallup Rotary hosts their 57th annual Crab Feed, Friday, March 22, at 5:30 p.m. Feast upon a menu that includes Dungeness crab served cold, melted clarified butter, clam chowder, oyster stew, vegetable soup, coleslaw, chicken Caesar salad, mac and cheese, Charlie's potato salad and Costco hot dogs! Beverages included in the price include coffee, water, and chocolate or regular milk. Beer and wine are a cool $5 a pop. Tickets are $45 per person, with discounts for seniors and children, and other festivities include live music, an auction and more. 110 9th Ave. SW, Puyallup, crsadmin.com
Fun fact, I'm a real tree nerd. My offspring are well versed in the ways of tree hugging, literally -- so when I saw Peaks and Pints was hosting a Peaks and Pints Gives a Damn-Tree Hugging with Patagonia Brewing, I felt something stir at the very core of my secret hippie heart. At 5 p.m. Friday, March 22, grab a pint of Patagonia Brewing Bohemian Pilsner and pick up a sixer to go. Why? The brewery has crafted their Bohemian Pilsner in Fort Collins through their "Buy a Case, Plant a Tree" program, a partnership with the National Forest Foundation. For each case sold, a tree will be planted, for every keg, 17 trees. If planting a tree is as easy as chugging the sweet, sweet nectar of the hops, you ought to do it. It's literally the least you can do. 3816 N. 26th St., Tacoma, peaksandpints.com
You're going to want to check out Centerforce's Sip, Sample, Savor: A Just Like You event Thursday, May 2, at 5:30 p.m. Festivities are hosted at the Historic 1625 Tacoma Place and highlight some of region's best wine, beer and liquor with folks from Stina's Cellars, 7 Seas Brewery and Heritage Distilling. Pair your sips with bites crafted by Occasions Catering while reveling at the wine wall and entering all the raffles. Proceeds will help reduce the cost of the uncompensated services provided by Centerforce clients, including secure housing, transportation, job supplies and training, and more. Tickets are $25 and available at centerforce.salsalabs.org/sipsavorandsample2019/. 1625 South Tacoma Way, Tacoma.