Wine? Why not! Photo by Christina Lam.

This Friday, Feb. 18, is National Drink Wine Day. Now, we all know that you don’t need a special reason to drink wine, but now you can say you’re doing your civic duty when your boss asks why you’re having that bottle — er, glass — of pinot at 10:00 a.m.

Here are a few ways to celebrate.

While not technically happening on National Drink Wine Day, Pourtal wine bar is hosting tonight a screening of the documentary “Merlove: A Documentary about Merlot” with writer and director Rudolf McClain. As you watch, sip on some of the bar’s merlot Merlove and white wine Labor of Love-themed wines. Screening is free, but the wine costs money.

Pourtal
104 Santa Monica Blvd.
Santa Monica, CA 90401

Wednesday, February 16, 2011
8:30 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.

On Friday, downtown Los Angeles’ Corkbar will offer a specially-priced flight of three wines for $10. And if you check in on Foursquare and unlock the Swarm badge, you’ll get extended happy hour specials, including $2 off drafts, $8 select wines and half-priced select appetizers, for the rest of the night.

Corkbar
403 W. 12th St.
Los Angeles, CA 90015

Also, Napa Valley Grille in Westwood will host Friday a “Guess the Grape” game led by Wine Director Christina Sherwood. Guests will be invited to sample a grape varietal not listed on the menu, and if they answer correctly will be rewarded with a complimentary glass of wine. Free wine, woo!

Napa Valley Grille
1100 Glendon Ave. Suite 100
Los Angeles, CA 90024

Hotel Palomar's pet amenities. Courtesy of Hotel Palomar.

• Hotel Palomar: This Kimpton-owned property allows all types of pets no matter what the species or size, within reason of course. I mean, where would they put a horse? For most of us, this means bringing your dog along, and like any good pet friendly hotel, the concierge will arrange for a staff member to walk your dog and even to pet sit. And in addition to the in-room amenities — treats, a bed, even doggie “beer” (chicken or beef-flavored broth), you can get your special four-legged friend a massage or an acupuncture treatment. How’s that for pampering?

• Willows Lodge: If you’re headed up north to the Seattle area, you might want to try this welcoming hotel in Woodinville. Pet amenities include a doggie room service menu featuring Three Dog Bakery treats, bowls, a rawhide treat and a bed with turn-down service. There are also off-leash trails on the property.

• Loews Santa Monica: Not only does this beach-side hotel welcome pets, it also provides information on nearby pet friendly restaurants, groomers and other services; food and water bowls, treats, poop bags and dog tags; and a pager service that alerts guests when there’s an emergency with their pet if they’re away from the hotel. Room service is also available for pets for food delivery, and other items, including kitty litter, pooper scoopers and toys, are available for purchase. Guests can also borrow pet beds, leashes and collars. And of course Loews offers pet sitting and walking services.

But some Loews hotels also offer something unique: “learning vacations” for pets. In San Diego’s Coronado Bay, dogs can take surfing lessons, and in Denver, the Loews offers Outward Hound trips with on- and off-leash guided hikes. At the Loews Vanderbilt in Nashville, pets can even record their own albums with the help of a personal voice coach and a real recording studio. I’m not kidding.

Like other hotels, including the Viceroy Santa Monica, W Hotel in Westwood recently introduced a slew of summer programs, and not just for food, either.

The W’s pool, which the hotel calls WET (the fitness center is called SWEAT, get it?), features floating poker, blackjack and ping pong tables for your gaming entertainment. Or you can check out a movie poolside with the hotel’s Summer Cinema Series, whose menu features house-made BBQ potato chips with caramelized onion dip ($8) and bacon-cheddar sliders with hand-cut fries ($18). There’s also a cheese plate and two glasses of wine for $21 on the menu. You can get regular candy, too, but expect to fork over $4 for peanut M&Ms!

And for more food, the W has some weekend events to try on for size. On Friday nights, the hotel hosts a Backyard BBQ poolside with a self-serve grill menu that includes cheeseburgers, BBQ-glazed salmon, and Greek chicken skewers (prices range from $3 to $15). Saturday nights feature bonfires in the hotel’s backyard with a small-plates menu that includes fried chicken, cripsy goat cheese with marinated beets, and steamed mussels (prices range from $4 to $12). Pitchers of sangria go for $30.

And to top off your weekend, W and Muse Lifestyle Group (the folks behind the forthcoming Playhouse and Sweet Love Hangover in Hollywood) host a Sunday pool party from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. featuring a special $39 brunch and sponsored by Tres Generaciones tequila. The brunch menu includes carrot-walnut bread, heirloom tomato salad, brioche French toast, Maine lobster hash and grilled swordfish tacos, plus much more (you have to choose one from each menu area, like any other prix fixe).

So all this food isn’t cheap, but it won’t break the bank, either. Sounds like a decent option for a summer weekend. The specials last through September, so drop by and check it out. Then let us know what you thought!

• Valley Greek Festival: The 36th annual three-day festival of all things Greek. Admission is free, but food’s not, so you’ll have to shell out for that souvlaki and mousaka (you’ve seen “My Big Fat Greek Wedding,” right?). Northridge, May 23-25.

• UCLA Jazz Reggae Fest: It’s back! And this year, the “jam” day seems pretty good with Erykah Badu, De La Soul and People Under the Stairs. I’m not so familiar with the artists playing on reggae day, but you should go and tell me about it. Westwood, May 24-25.

• More at losanjealous via EaterLA