Free wine tasting, Culver City restaurant crawl, Crabfest at the Hungry Cat

Nothing is really ever free in life. Or so the saying goes ... except for these free wine tastings. They are happening every Wednesday in September from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the gLance Wine Bar at the JW Marriott in downtown L.A. The bar is holding a meet-the-winemaker series as part of a monthlong celebration of the Wine Institute’s California Wine Month. Each Wednesday, a California winemaker will host a free tasting. The hotel chef will also prepare a selection of complimentary light bites. Sept. 4 and 11, Bonneau Wine from Sonoma will pour wines from its award-winning vineyard; Sept. 19, Honig Vineyards & Winery from Rutherford will talk about its sustainably farmed, solar-powered vineyard; and JUSTIN Vineyards & Winery from Paso Robles will pour its Bordeaux-style blends and single varietals. JW Marriott Los Angeles L.A. LIVE, 900 W. Olympic Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90015, (213) 765-8600 https://www.lalivemarriott.com.

Dishcrawl, a national start-up that hosts community food events around the country, is holding its next event in Culver City on Sept. 18. The Dishcrawl will begin at 7 p.m. and include a tour and a taste of four restaurants in one night. The restaurants are kept secret until two days before the event. Vegetarian options are available. Tickets are $45 per person and available for purchase at dishcrawl.com/la. Drinks are not included in the ticket price.

It’s Crabfest time at The Hungry Cat in Santa Monica. On Sept. 15, from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. chef David Lentz will have a Chesapeake Bay blue crab feast in a special menu featuring steamed Maryland crabs, Maryland crab soup, a beer-battered soft-shell crab sandwich and sides including a marinated heirloom and watermelon salad and a grilled corn and avocado salad. A special a la cart menu will also include the full raw bar, pulled pork sandwiches, lobster rolls and the Pug Burger. The Crabfest menu is $75 per person. 100 West Channel Road at Pacific Coast Highway, Los Angeles, CA 90402, (310) 459-3337, https://thehungrycat.com/

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