October New Member Happy Hour
October 26th from 3:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
at
Picante
1328 Sixth St, Berkeley, CA 94710
After such a fun induction we’re keeping the party going with a New Member Happy Hour! Hosted by Picante in Berkeley we’ll connect with the new members, enjoy small bites on the patio, and sip and learn about tequila from Erin Holleran of Casa Dragones in Jalisco, Mexico. Casa Dragones is co-founded and led by Bertha González Nieves, the first female Maestra Tequilera certified by the Academia Mexicana de Catadores de Tequila Casa Dragones. Picante has been a Berkeley favorite for 30 years and they are generously hosting this event which will be equal parts Tequila-Mezcal education and Dame socializing, the perfect mix for a casual member meetup.
Stay after the meetup for dinner with new and old friends and explore Picante's traditional Mexican dishes and drinks, all prepared from scratch daily, Picante Menu.
We’ll be meeting at 3 pm on Sunday 10/26, Picante. There is free street parking, and a small Picante parking lot on Camelia at Sixth Street.
Jerry Di Vecchio, our founding Dame, is turning 90 in November! To celebrate, we are hosting a celebratory reception on Sunday, November 9th, from 3-5 pm, at Chez Panisse Café in Berkeley.
We are seeking several Dames to bake or bring a cake to serve at the reception as a gift to Jerry and the Chapter. We were inspired by San Francisco’s Cake Picnic event, where guests bring cakes to share all around. If you would like to bake or bring a cake serving 10, please complete this form: FORM LINK HERE.
Take inspiration from Sunset magazine recipes, your signature cake, your favorite bakery cake, the fall season – we welcome your creativity and generosity.
Even if you can’t join this celebration, take a moment to sign this Group Birthday Card LINK HERE. Add a photo, a memory or wish for Jerry on one page. She will receive a printed version of this card at the event.
Cost is $10 per person; sparkling wine, soft drinks and light snacks will be provided.
Harvest Tour and Tasting at McEvoy Ranch
Monday, November 17th 2025
5935 Red Hill Rd, Petaluma, CA, 94952
Nestled in the hills of West Marin, beautiful McEvoy Ranch is legendary in California olive oil.
Join us for a tour of their certified organic orchards and mill during the harvest season. After the tour, there will be an educational tasting led by Dame Alexandra Kicenik Devarenne, international olive oil judge, consultant, writer, and educator. We will sample five oils, including the new oil (olio nuovo) of the 2025 harvest, using the official olive oil tasting method. Then it’s time for small bites and experimentation with pairing a variety of different foods.
Although this will be in the thick of the harvest season, we cannot guarantee that the mill will be running since weather events can derail even the best laid plans. We will still tour and taste regardless of rain. There will be a no-host bar with wine and shrubs available, and a drawing for a copy of the rare first edition of Olive Oil: A Field Guide. This concise pocket guide was called “an indispensable tool for anyone who wants to delve into the fascinating but complex world of extra virgin olive oil" by Tom Mueller, author of Extravirginity.
Hope to see you at the ranch for olive oil facts, flavor and fun!
SAVE THE DATE
December Member Meet-up at Trinchero Winery
Sunday, December 7th 2025
2:00-4:30 PM
3070 St Helena Hwy, St Helena, CA 94574
Trinchero Napa Valley is delighted to host the December Holiday Member Meetup and to welcome us to their estate winery in St. Helena for an immersive food and wine experience led by MW candidate and Trinchero Family Wine & Spirits Director of Education, Madison Kramer, and the estate's Direct to Consumer Manager, Melisa Fernandez de Soto.
Guests will tour our state-of-the-art winemaking facilities, observe a special demonstration in our kitchen hosted by Executive Chef and Director of Culinary, Chef James Houghton, and enjoy a formal tasting of the full Trinchero Napa Valley estate wine portfolio.
The concierge team at Trinchero Napa Valley will be available in the weeks preceding the event to assist with your Napa Valley visit; should you choose to secure a hotel room or make dinner reservations. They can be reached at 707.963.1160.
Les Dames d’Escoffier International, San Francisco Chapter, is a 501 (c)(3) (EIN 20-5341764) Your contribution is tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.
