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Lots of wine events this weekend to set the tone for an upcoming holiday.

Rioja! (1603 Battleground Ave.; 288-2002) in Greensboro will be sampling six wines from Napa Valley from 6 p.m. until tonight. The tasting is free. Purchase a bottle and stick around for $5 tapas.

Just up the street at Wine Warehouse (2310 Battleground Ave.; 288-2002), Natali Meetze of Grapevine Distributors will be sharing some great Pinots for Thanksgiving pairings from 4 to 8 p.m. Cost for the tasting is $5. An additional tasting ($5) will be held from 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday.

The Vino Shoppe (3800 Tinsley Drive; 885-0081) in High Point is having a customer appreciation weekend with a free wine tasting from 5 to 8 p.m. today and again from 2 to 8 p.m. Saturday lots of selections. There will also be some food to nibble on and lots of deals. Be sure to enter the drawing for a free bottle of wine.

Sample Belgian-style ales from 2 to 5 p.m. Saturday at The Brewer's Kettle (2505 N. Main St., Suite 101; 885-0099) in High Point.

From 4 to 6 p.m. Saturday, taste some new selections at WineStyles (3326 W. Friendly Ave., Suite 141; 299-4505) in Greensboro. Stick around for music by Joshua West from 7 to 10 p.m.

On Sunday from 2 to 5 p.m., the merchants at Forest Oaks Commons (5315 Liberty Road) just south of Greensboro will throw a party with a holiday market and outdoor fire (weather permitting).  Angelia's Pizza (Suite A; 674-0060) at will be sampling some wines or grab a cup of java from Beans and Creme (Suite F; 674-4008).

And Zimmerman Vineyards (1428 Tabernacle Church Road; 861-1414) in Trinity will hold an open house from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and 1 to 6 p.m. Sunday. Tastings are $5.

Tonight Greensboro Urban Ministry holds its Feast of Caring from 5 to 7 p.m. at First Baptist Church at 1000 W. Friendly Ave. in Greensboro.

The event launches Urban Ministry's annual fund-raising campaign. And there couldn't be a better evening to drop by for a comforting bowl of soup and bread - a meal intended to be in a soup kitchen tradition to remind us of those less fortunate. While it's been a tough year for most, it's been even tougher for many.

A variety of soups and bread, donated by 25 organizations, will be served along with musical performances by the Temple Emmanuel Youth Choir and the Bobby Doolittle and Jim Carson duo. The soup is free, but for a minimum donation of $5 you get a holiday Honor Card bearing artist William Mangum's print "Moving On." Mangum has long been a champion of the homeless.

In addition to Greensboro Urban Ministry's budget of $3.3 million, the organization would like to raise an additional $100,000 for winter emergency shelters. Last year, more than $240,000 was raised.

For more information, call Greensboro Urban Ministry at 271-5959 or visit the organization's website.

It was business as usual during Monday's lunch at The Undercurrent (327 Battleground Ave.) in downtown Greensboro except for the group of folks meeting in the restaurant's private conference room. Among those folks were philanthropist and former mayor Jim Melvin, community leader Shirley Frye and North Carolina Gov. Bev Perdue. Gov. Perdue was in town to kick off a statewide push to get high school seniors to apply for college.

It's not unusual for The Undercurrent owner Ben Roberts to host high profile groups in his "very insulated" conference room with a nice view of downtown Greensboro's Lincoln Financial building. But it was the first time he'd had Perdue in for lunch - at least as governor. Roberts says she ate at his restaurant once before when she was North Carolinas' lieutenant governor.

"I enjoyed meeting everyone and talking to our governor," Roberts said. "She is a very sweet lady."

And what does the governor of North Carolina eat when she's in town on business?

"She had a grilled chicken sandwich," Roberts said.

As the holiday season approaches, wine retailers and restaurants are rolling out the tastings to entice entertain and educate the discriminating palate.

For instance, Wine Warehouse (2310 Battleground Ave.) in Greensboro is holding a holiday wine and cheese tasting from 4 to 8 p.m. today. Cost is $10. Tomorrow, it's lots of bubbles with wine expert Julia Schiavone who will lead a sparkling wine tasting from 1 to 5 p.m. Cost is $5. Call 288-2002 for more information.

From 6 to 8 p.m. Monday, Liberty Oak Restaurant and Bar (100-D W. Washington St.) in downtown Greensboro will hold a tasting of wines to pair with holiday fare. Cost is $7 and includes six wines and appetizers. Call 601-6104.

Triad Moe's Southwest Grill locations are giving away free burritos today.

The promotion is part of a customer appreciation day and promises a Joey Jr. burrito - a mini-me Joey Bag of Donuts - to each customer from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

In addition, the 5000th guest will receive free Moe's for a year.

Participating locations include 1449-E University Drive in Burlington; 4211 W. Wendover Ave, 350-B Four Seasons Town Centre and 1744 Battleground Ave. in Greensboro; 5872 Samet Drive, Suite. 121 in High Point; and 2021 Griffith Road, Suite 100 and 206 South Stratford Road in Winston-Salem.

The rain may dampen some Veterans Day activities, but our service men and women can still get a good meal today courtesy of Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill and Bar.

The restaurant is honoring U.S. veterans and active duty military with a free meal today only.

Guests must provide proof of current or former U.S. military service to get a choice of six signature entrees. The deal is available for dine-in only at lunch or dinner.

Applebee’s locations are 4406 W. Wendover Ave. (299-5565 ) and 3200 Battleground Ave. (282-7100 ) in Greensboro, 3865 John Gordon Lane (841-3910 ) in High Point and 3103 Garden Road (584-3344 ) in Burlington.
For information, visit www.applebees.com/vetsday.

Any other Veterans Day restaurant deals? Let's hear about them.

Dan Phillips won't have any bacon with him today. But he'll have plenty of Australian wine to share during a meet and greet and wine tasting from 2 to 2:45 p.m. at Rioja! A Wine Bar at 1603 Battleground Ave. in Greensboro.

Phillips is perhaps best known as the founder of The Grateful Palate, a website devoted to wine and other imports and home of the popular Bacon of the Month Club.

Phillips is just "blowing through town" says Rioja! owner Mark Lile-King, which explains the short visit. But just enough time to get his thoughts on his Australian selections. The tasting is free.

By the way, Rioja! is featuring a Gypsy Jazz Night, an evening of music from the 30s and 40s in the style of Django Rienhardt and Hot Club of France. The music starts at 8 tonight and all $7 or less wines by the glass are just $4.

For information on either event, call Rioja! at 412-0011.

Stop by Scoops Ice Cream (5605 W. Friendly Ave.; 299-8744) at Quaker Village Shopping Center for a cone of fresh Hershey's ice cream, like Peanut Butter Pie or Moose Tracks, or a real fruit smoothie and odds are you won't leave without a Reuben Sandwich or a hot Nathan's hot dog topped with homemade slaw and chili.

And feel free to bring along a four-legged companion. Scoops is dog friendly

Many foodies are familiar with food scientist Shirley Corriher. But do any of you know Brent Dawson, professor of chemistry and biochemistry at UNCG?

Well, from 7:30 to 9 tonight at the Green Bean, 312 S. Elm St. in Greensboro, Dawson will talk about what happens when food is cooked . He will discuss the new molecules created by cooking and how they affect food's appearance, feel, smell and taste. So even if he can't help your kitchen skills, he can tell you why your burnt cookies look awful and smell just as bad.

The program is part of a Science on Tap informal discussion series. For more information, visit Science and Society lecture series site, email researchpartners@uncg.edu or call 334-4623.

No, you're not imagining it.

Barberitos (884-1285) at 1231 Eastchester Drive, Suite 118 in High Point is actually serving pink tortilla chips today. The pink chips are to promote breast cancer awareness. In case you haven't been inundated with pink at some point lately, October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. And today, the Eastchester Drive Barberitos will donate 10 percent of sales to benefit the Charles E. and Pauline Lewis Hayworth Cancer Center at High Point Regional Health System. This is the second year Barberitos has served "Pink Out" chips to promote breast cancer awareness.