Datebook

Japanese Food & Sake Festival. March 13, 6 to 8:30 p.m. Hyatt Regency Orange County, Grand Ballroom, 11999 Harbor Blvd., Garden Grove. Tickets $50 in advance, $55 at the door.

For more information, call the Japanese Food Culture Assn., (213) 509-3701, or visit www.japanesefoodculture.org.

TODAY

Mountain wine: Taste wines from Santa Cruz Mountains winery Clos LaChance with representative Heike Unkel, including 2006 Santa Cruz Mountains Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. 6 to 8 p.m. Wine Lab, 2901 W. Coast Highway, Suite 100, Newport Beach. (949) 515-8466, or visit www.winelabnewport.com. Reservations recommended, $20.

SATURDAY

Going Greek: Author Harry Mark Petrakis explores his Hellenic-American roots in “Homer and Hunger” followed by a seated dinner. 6 p.m. lecture, 7 p.m. dinner. Loyola Marymount University, Ahmanson North, Upper Campus, 1 LMU Drive, Los Angeles. (310) 215-3130. E-mail: [email protected]. Reservations required, $35.

Daily bread:Author William Rubel lectures on “Bread, the Staff of Life: From England’s Torture Chambers to the Tables of the French Elite” at this Culinary Historians event. 10:30 a.m. Los Angeles Public Library, Mark Taper Auditorium, 630 W. 5th St., Los Angeles. (213) 228-7210, or www.culinaryhistoriansofsoutherncalifornia.org. Free.

MARCH 13

Planned partyhood: Sample food from 150 restaurants and caterers such as Lucques, Josie’s and Pink’s Hot Dogs at the Planned Parenthood Food Fare. 10:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. For tickets and information, call (310) 395-0098, or visit www.plannedparenthood.org/ los-angeles. Advance tickets: $125 for day pass, $175 for evening. Same-day tickets: $150 day pass, $200 evening.

Submit datebook items to Food Section Datebook, Los Angeles Times, 202 W. 1st St., Los Angeles, CA 90012; or e-mail: [email protected]