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EAT, DRINK & PLAY   -   WHAT TO ORDER NOW
2015 Ultimate Dining & Entertainment Guide
Everything You Need, All in One Spot
November, 2015 - Issue #133
{What You Need}
More (Happy) Hours in the Day

Making time to "get together," whether with a spouse, friend or professional colleague, is never more difficult than the holiday "busy season." But you can make it happen - and still have time to hit the mall afterward - by getting an early start (And dinner out of the way!).

courtesy of Shutterstock
courtesy of Shutterstock
Where to Go:
Marston's Restaurant

Marston's Happy Hour has a cult following of dedicated patrons who relish the dinner-time span of discounted food and drinks (5pm to 7pm, Tuesday through Sunday, in the bar) as well as the fabulously-priced selections like $4 wine options, $4 draft beers, $3.25 bottles, $5 well drinks and $6 well martinis and cosmos. The superstars, though, are the appetizers like the Pork Tostadas ($8), Smoked Chicken Nachos ($6), Artichoke, Pesto and Goat Cheese Spread served with warm pita bread ($5) and the Pepper Seared Ahi with veggie soba noodles and ginger cilantro vinaigrette ($9). Marston's is conveniently located in the Bridgeport Marketplace. 253-9910

courtesy of Shutterstock
courtesy of Shutterstock
Where to Go:
Vines at the Hyatt Regency Valencia

Frequently referred to as "the best happy hour in town," Vines' daily dish of happiness is served from 4pm to 7pm. Stop in soon to take advantage of their new themed Happy Hour events, rotating daily. More in the mood for a quick mid-day bite? Vines' new "In & Out Fast" weekday lunches will leave you satiated, never rushed. Choose from lunch entrees, sandwiches, salads, soups and more - all prepared with ultra-fresh ingredients. Vines' new Healthy Balance Menu is available for both lunch and dinner; featuring a customizable collection of environmentally-friendly selections like Sustainable Skuna Bay Salmon, these tasty plates are good for you and Mother Earth. 678-4044


{What You Need}
A Place to Celebrate

Whether you're celebrating an anniversary with a special someone or a holiday with a dozen special someones, choosing the right place to gather is nearly as important as choosing the right people to gather with. Here are the places that have the space to host parties large and small - and menus that turn a meal into a special occasion.

Salt Creek Grille Valencia
Salt Creek Grille Valencia
Where to Go:
Salt Creek Grille

We dare you to find an SCVian who doesn't count Salt Creek among their top-three favorite local restaurants. Please your group by hosting a gathering in their private dining room or party on the patio that can host over 100 of your closest crew. Just make sure to include dessert in your plans, because seasonal pumpkin flavors are wowing diners as you read this. What to order? Salt Creek's Pumpkin Toffee Cheesecake is a perfect blend of spices mixed with creamy cheesecake, a homemade shortbread cookie crust and is topped with toffee and drizzled with a bourbon caramel sauce. The Pumpkin Creme Brulee is a pumpkin custard with cinnamon-sugar triple-cracked brulee served with ginger-snap cookies. Savor yours with a spiked hot beverage like the Salt Creek Coffee made with Butterscotch Schnapp's, Bailey's, coffee and whipped cream. 222-9999

Tournament Players Club Valencia
Tournament Players Club Valencia
Where to Go:
The TPC Valencia

Offering four banquet venues, the TPC Valencia features versatile accommodations for hosting events for as many as 200 guests. Our seasonal fave: the luxe clubhouse that emulates old-California ranch style architecture, featuring interiors of distressed alderwood trim, vaulted ceilings, stacked-stone accents and panoramic views. Event groups can choose a pre-selected menu option or work with TPC's chefs to customize a distinctive one-of-a-kind menu. 288-1995

Sabor Cocina Mexicana
Sabor Cocina Mexicana
Where to Go:
Sabor Cocina Mexicana

Sabor Cocina Mexicana is where some of Santa Clarita's most influential folk entertain their equally influential friends. The big draw isn't just the luxurious ambience; this is the place people go when they crave an authentic gourmet meal. Based on seasonal offerings, the newest menu features exquisite selections like Mini Tacos Dorados de Pavo: turkey picadillo, blue corn tortilla, lettuce, queso fresco, yam puree; Enchiladas de Pato: duck confit, mole negro, lettuce, onions, sesame seeds; Kale Salad; Brussel Sprouts; Torta de Camote; Sweet Potato Tots; Flan de Calabaza and new cocktails. 259-9002

{What You Need}
To get from "A" to "B" in Style

Get moving this month with the help of some new friends. Is your freshly-minted BFF your party-bus driver who wheeled you around between wineries or the ultra-educated Acura sales personnel who taught you all about how hot-stamped aluminum and magnesium can improve gas mileage? We vote: Both!

2016 Acura TLX available at Valencia Acura
2016 Acura TLX available at Valencia Acura
Who to Call:
SCV Party Bus

You and 17 of your friends will have the time of your lives in the laser-and-LED-lighted SCV Party Bus, which features a club-quality sound system, dual bar areas for your beverages, three flat-screen TVs, a Blue Tooth system for access to your personal playlist and more. The fully-qualified drivers - each licensed, insured and endorsed - will even arrive to your location 15 minutes early to help you coordinate your event. With rates as low as $25 a person, the SCV Party Bus is the ideal transport solution for memorable graduations, birthdays, bachelor/ette parties, school dances, concerts, sporting events and just about any other occasion that could use a heavy dose of never-gonna-forget-this-one cool. 313-6528

SCV Party Bus
SCV Party Bus
Who to Call:
Valencia Acura

Experience Super Handling All-wheel Drive with the 2016 Acura TLX. Imagine this: As you apex a tight hairpin, you grab third and bury the accelerator. The TLX launches forward with zero wheel spin, pinning you to the seat as you effortlessly trace a perfect line through the turn. Because it instantly sensed your input, available Super Handling All-wheel Drive (SH-AWD) sent extra torque to the outside rear wheel and spun it slightly faster than the inside wheel. Revolutionary engineering like this is sure to give you a thrill - and Valencia Acura is sure to give you the test drive experience of your life. 255-3000

{What You Need}
Desserts that Look Great & Taste Even Better

You think you're going to have time to bake. Truth-hurts alert! You're not. And besides - that Pinterest recipe you've been meaning to make? Yeah. Yours isn't going to look like that. Now's the time to outsource the most important course of your hosted meal: dessert! Make it double as a focal point on your buffet table and you can check off "teach self how to make centerpiece like the one I saw on Instagram" the list, too.

Who to Call:
Lady Di's Cookies & Sweets

From Halloween ("Dirt" cupcakes with gummy eyeballs and worms!) to Thanksgiving (Pumpkin Magic cupcakes loaded with fresh pumpkin are a fun alternative to pie.), Christmas (Fresh Granny Smith apples smothered in made-from-scratch caramel are Santa's favorite stocking stuffers.), this is the place to go for delicious variety and the sweetest service. Choose customized white-chocolate iced cookies made from scratch sugar dough, then cut into custom shapes and decorated to your liking. They make a perfect corporate present or centerpiece on your holiday table. 222-9102

Who to Call:
Nothing Bundt Cakes

At Nothing Bundt Cakes, they bake their cakes fresh daily using only the finest quality ingredients: fresh eggs, real butter and cream cheese to ensure the most delicious tasting cakes. With nine classic flavors available in four different sizes from bite-sized bundtinis, personal sized bundtlets to full sized hand-decorated cakes, they fit perfectly with every occasion and holiday. With over 40 unique cake designs to choose from, they help make special occasions sweeter! Visit them at 24278 Valencia Boulevard or call to place your holiday order. 291-2424

{What You Need}
Catering Options that can Turn on a Dime

We'd all like to believe that we'll be party-prepped weeks prior, but life usually has other plans. You need catering options that can accommodate last-minute orders and your nutty schedule. These run in, run out selections (Wolf Creek will even run to your parked car!) are perfect for casual gatherings and office parties.

Chronic Tacos Catering
Chronic Tacos Catering
Who to Call:
Chronic Tacos

With two convenient locations in the SCV, Chronic's Valencia and Saugus locations can create individual plates of fresh-Mex perfection... or they can cater to your crew with burrito platters, family-style trays of their famous sides, build-your-own-taco set ups and more. An easy plan: treat yourself to a just-made fresh tostada bowl customized with your choice of meat, rice and beans when you pick up your order. That will give you the strength - physical and mental - to avoid tearing into the heavenly-smelling selections before guests arrive.
360-1800

Wolf Creek Restaurant & Brewing Co.
Wolf Creek Restaurant & Brewing Co.
Who to Call:
Wolf Creek Restaurant & Brewing Co.

Wolf Creek won't just wow your guests with fun fusion food that has made them an SCV staple for 18 years - they'll also walk that food from the restaurant and straight to your car, where they'll safely process your payment and then send you on your way with food for one - or 50! You an even take their fantastic seasonal brews, like fall's Pumpkinweizen, to go, along with Pastry Chef Meghan's made-on-site creations. 263-9653

available from Ma Maison
available from Ma Maison
-----------------------------------

The Superior
Shot Glass Display
for Top-shelf Spirits

The Cantinero by Picnic Time is an original design featuring an acacia tray with specific areas carved out to hold six heavy-bottom shot glasses, one four-inch ceramic dish for garnishes such as lime slices, and one frosted-glass salt shaker. The Cantinero is perfect for sharing selections of your favorite top-shelf spirits or for hosting your own tasting party. This beauty is available from Ma Maison. 799-7983

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{What You Need}
Something to Do

Cooler weather makes us want to hunker down under the covers - until cabin fever sets in. If you're looking for "get out of the house" inspiration, this is it!

courtesy of Shutterstock
courtesy of Shutterstock
Where to Go:
The Annual Fine Craft Show

The annual Fine Craft Show is set to take place on Saturday, November 14, from 10am to 5pm and Sunday, November 15 from 10am to 3pm. The event is a shopping tradition for many Santa Clarita residents who enjoy perusing the work of over 60 craft artists presenting one-of-a-kind gifts and unique hand-crafted items. The Fine Craft Show will be held at Old Orchard Park, located at 25032 Avenida Rotella. This free outdoor shopping event includes intricate and colorful hand-crafted jewelry, vibrant paintings, pottery, woodwork, and other items perfect for the upcoming holiday season. Community members can stock up on these exclusive and beautiful gifts while enjoying gourmet food trucks in a festive outdoor park setting. For more information about the City of Santa Clarita's Fine Craft Show, contact the Arts and Events Office at 250-3787.
www.santa-clarita.com/crafts

photo by Ted Dayton • florals by Charmaines Bouquet Canyon Florist 297-3100
photo by Ted Dayton • florals by Charmaines Bouquet Canyon Florist 297-3100
Where to Go:
Bridalfaire Extraordinaire

In 2016, Bridalfaire - SCV's biggest bridal event of the year - will be held on January 3 at the Hyatt Regency Valencia. Visit with over 70 local wedding pros including Masters of Ceremony, Charmaine's Bouquet Canyon Florist, SOS Entertainment, Acton Creative Flowers, Jill's Cakes, David's Bridal and many, many more. Enjoy door prizes throughout the day, along with free bridal magazines, cake samples, givaways and plenty of inspiration for your big day. Chat with wedding planners, DJs, photographers and officiants while checking out the latest photo booths and limos. Score free tickets by dropping into a local vendor shop (Get a list at www.bridalfaireextraordinaire.com.). David's Bridal will be giving out discount certificates at the show. 255-1244

courtesy of Shutterstock
courtesy of Shutterstock
Where to Go:
Persia Hookah Lounge

Residents who'd like their hometown excitement quotient to rise need to shimmy over to Persia Hookah Lounge in Old Town Newhall. Besides exotic food and ambience, they'll also find weekend entertainment that, when combined with authentic Persian libations, are anything but humdrum. At Persia Hookah Lounge, events include Salsa night, where you'll be taught the dance then have a chance to take to the floor. Belly Dancing performances and live bands round out the offerings. This is the place to host a party if you're looking for something exotic, memorable and fun! 259-4100


{What You Need}
Quality Live Entertainment

Santa Clarita is home to no shortage of phenomenal amateur and professional performers. Treat yourself to a show this season, or gift someone who has "everything" with a night out on you.

courtesy of Shutterstock
courtesy of Shutterstock
What to See:
"Crossing Delancey" by The Master's College Theatre Arts

TMC Theatre Arts, located in Santa Clarita, produces clean, entertaining dramas each year. From shows on Broadway to lesser-known plays, TMC Theatre Arts continually delivers top-quality plays filled with intriguing plot-lines and captivating characters that you are sure to enjoy. This semester's production of "Crossing Delancey" by Susan Sandler is sure to be no different. Here's the plot: In a society that emphasizes independence and self-sufficiency, modern bookworm Izzy Grossman is trying her hardest to shed her Russian-Jewish heritage in order to impress a famously-charming New York author. However, her scheming grandmother has other plans! With the help of a Jewish marriage broker and a down-to-earth pickle salesman, Izzy may finally learn that sometimes we try so hard to create an identity that we lose sight of what's really important; maybe we can remember who we really are through something as simple as the changing of a hat.
Show times: October 23, 24, 30 and 31. Evening shows at 8pm and Saturday Matinees at 2pm; to order tickets contact the box office directly by phone. 362-2255

courtesy of Shutterstock
courtesy of Shutterstock
What to See:
Santa Clarita Ballet's "The Nutcracker Ballet"
On December 19 and 20, the Santa Clarita Ballet brings the magic of Christmas to the College of the Canyons Performing Arts Center for its 21st rendition of "The Nutcracker Ballet." Filled with vibrant color, dazzling stage design and touches of humor, "The Nutcracker Ballet" is the perfect way to ignite your holiday spirit and be swept away by some of the most accomplished young dancers in the Santa Clarita Valley. The Nutcracker Ballet transports audiences of all ages to a land of wonderment and delight so enchanting you will check your shoulders for a dusting of snow as you leave the theater. Professional guest dancers, including the world-renowned Russian dance troupe Alexander Klinin and Company, mingle seamlessly with the Company's most accomplished ballerinas to create visions of sugar plums that do much more than dance in your head - they literally swirl before your eyes. Saturday performances of "The Nutcracker Ballet" are at 2pm and 7:30pm. Sunday performances are at 2pm and 7pm. Tickets are not sold through the COC Performing Arts Center; to order tickets contact the SBC box office directly by phone. 251-0366

{What You Need}
Real Food, Real Fast

Santa Clarita is now home to gourmet-quality eateries that require only a hungry palate, no pomp and circumstance. When
drive-through just won't do (It never should!), foodies will find these casual-cool spots to be friendly to their family, time, wallet and - most importantly - their Facebook account. (Because they're gonna want to share pictures of these pretty plates!).


Rustic Burger
Rustic Burger
Where to Go:
Rustic Burger

When it comes to describing a Rustic Burger, we just can't even. How does one apply language to what can only be described as a spiritual and philosophical awakening? This place will change the way you eat (And drive. Our cars now veer into Rustic's parking lot seemingly on their own volition every time we're on Newhall Ranch Road.). Here's why we're waxing so poetic: Rustic's handmade patties are always moist, thick and ultra flavorful. Best of all, though, is how they're served. You'll find most on a house-baked brioche or wheat bun, though many choose to get their protein options on a salad instead. You can also get your chuck/brisket, sow/cow, chicken breast, tofu, turkey, shrimp or salmon patty on a pretzel or gluten-free bun. Think those choices are hard to make? Try deciding between burger styles like The Kimchi, a patty topped with kimchi, egg and romaine; or The Cali, with avocado, pepperjack, bacon, tomato and romaine. Whatever you choose, leave room for their famous Mac & Cheese that bubbles over with mornay and a panko crust.
254-1300

Fish Tail Grill
Fish Tail Grill
Where to Go:
Fish Tail Grill

Fish Tail Grill is a favorite SCV restaurant for good reason. Some of their recipes are more than 75 years old, passed down from generation to generation, and each one is made extra special because they use only the very freshest ingredients. From the Hawaiian Pink sea salt that adds a delicate flavor to each dish, to the seaweed they use (Both are shipped straight from Hawaii!), you'll quickly notice this is a place that puts a priority on the details. Their fish batter is made daily with an Asian tempura mix accompanied with a premium micro-brewed beer. Their efforts for absolute freshness continue with the soups - both the miso and clam chowder are prepared every morning - and the fresh fish is delivered six days a week. The relaxed, casual atmosphere allows for a quick, delicious and healthy meal for lunch, dinner or even after a workout. With added Saki, wines and variety of beers, an after work get together is always an option at Fish Tail Grill, too. Plus, the online menu makes it easy to order food to go without compromising freshness and taste. Simply call ahead! Orders normally can be filled in 10 minutes or less. Choose from faves like Fried Fish Tacos, Grilled Halibut Bowl, Grilled Salmon Sandwich, Ahi Tuna, Sunrise Sushi Roll, Beef Bowl, Hawaiian Poke Bowls, Fish & Chips, Fried Calamari, Shrimp & Chips and more. All the fish they offer can be prepared as a rice bowl, salad bowl or plate.
295-3474

Rustic Eatery
Rustic Eatery
Where to Go:
Rustic Eatery

At Rustic Eatery, their mission is to provide customers with delicious, unique and affordable dishes each inspired by the authentic approach to cooking common throughout all cultures of the world. On a daily basis they emphasize a brick oven element to produce freshly-baked artisanal breads and savory, slow-roasted meats which they use on their unique menu of hearty sandwiches and crisp salads. By combining the freshest local ingredients with fundamental cooking techniques, Rustic Eatery focuses on flavors, not flash. The dining process is simply satisfying; pick your style (Sandwich, Salad, Rice Bowl, Plate), your protein (Options include grilled pork belly, tri tip, shabu cut ribeye, chicken breast, grilled tofu and more) and marinade (Naked, Spicy, Yakiniku) and then sides like Spicy Chicken Soup, fresh-cut Kennebec potato fries and Kale Caesar Salad. 254-8100


{What You Need}
A Course to Call Home


Valencia Country Club
Valencia Country Club
Who to Call:
Missy Skinner at Valencia Country Club
Right now, Valencia Country Club is offering the best value any of us have seen in years. Pricing is scheduled to go up soon, but before it does, ultimate competitors are invited to join now at ultra-attractive rates and with zero-percent financing, too. If you've played Valencia Country Club's course, you know it's really the only game in town in terms of a quality golfing experience. The layout, the conditions... everything is perfect for a great day on the greens. But when you're a member of VCC, you can also play other fine Los Angeles clubs. It's all part of the privilege of being a member; reciprocal exchanges make VCC an impressive value. Also impressive: Valencia Country Club's new dining options, which come thanks to new Executive Chef Victor Davidson. The former exec chef at Larson's joins VCC right when new investments and major surprises are scheduled for big reveals over the next 18 months. The club also offers a Junior Golf Membership for children ages 7 to 23. The parents don't need to join - but they can golf once a month with their child by paying the guest fee. Children as young as 10 can even play unaccompanied on the course. If you have a budding young golf pro, this is the place to be. (And, if you don't, you can! Sign your child up for seasonal golf camps at VCC!). 799-1271
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