Quick Bites: Cooking for Solutions is up next, plus 10 other nibbles (including the Mucky Duck name change).

We are in the thick of it.

It is…the best season of the year.

The reason for the season is…glorious eat and drink that makes you think.

The end of last month was GourmetFest Carmel, this weekend is Pebble  Beach Food & Wine and before we know it—May 16-18—it's the next big, juicy, earthy stop in the foodie event season, with all the flavor, none of the guilt, Cooking for Solutions.

I asked event chief Ginger Hopkins to flag a couple of particularly head-turning events.

She balked—"I have to love all the events equally!"—but add she's particularly excited about the two below (adding, "but I don’t want to leave out the Street Food Extravaganza at Monterey Plaza and the affordable salons!").

Both are new this year:

1. DIY: Hands-on Experiences with Top Chefs ($110)

Saturday, May 17, epicurean adventurers hone skills and learn new tricks from acclaimed chefs John Ash, Lindsay Autry and Virginia Willis. Each 90-minute class focuses on a specific ingredient, technique or cooking style and offers kitchen enthusiasts the opportunity to learn from the masters in intimate groups. From preparing home-smoked salmon to making veggies the star of the plate, it's little how-to for alchemy in your own kitchen.

2. The Party with Alton Brown

Come Saturday night, Aquarium transforms into what organizers are calling "a one-of-a-kind underwater nightclub" starring lively late-night desserts and cocktails. San Francisco DJ Magic Matt (Club X, Star 101.3) manages the eclectic mix of electro, house and dance and special guest host Alton Brown works the room lifted by a sugar rush from the goodies by pastry chefs Mark Ainsworth (Mission Blue Confections), Yigit Pura (Tout Sweet Pâtisserie), Angela Gong Salvatore (Waterbar) and Terri Wu (Farallon).

Sushi bites courtesy of Tataki Sushi & Sake Bar and cheeses by Clover Stornetta, plus signature cocktails with American Harvest Organic Spirits, wines from The Hess Collection and Sierra Nevada Brewing Company beer floats keep things thumping.

So more yum comes. In the meantime, 10 more quick bites:

• Fresh From D’Vine (754-3764) and its farm produce-plus place where Highway 68 meets Salinas is open for the season. 9am-6:30pm, until 5pm weekends.

• T&A Cafe (455-0677) has similarly swung back open in Spreckels.

• Effective January 2015, The Mucky Duck (655-3031) is changing its name to Bull & Bear. Now they need help with their new logo. Start designing, submission contest details soon.

• The debut Cima Collina "Trashion" Show ($25) happens Sunday, April 27. 

• Gilroy Garlic Festival accepts recipes for the 2014 Great Garlic Cook-Off amateur cooking competition through May 1.

• Eli Severson is out as GM at Turn 12 (372-8876) and in as restaurant manager at Montrio Bistro (648-8880).

• Rumor is New Leaf Market (466-9060)—an independent natural foods retailer that is part Trader Joe’s, part Whole Foods with even more localized leanings)—is going in on Lighthouse where the Nob Hill was. New Leaf Co-President Rex Stewart assure me it is just a rumor, though he says, “we would love to be on the Peninsula.”

• Stone Creek Kitchen (393-1042) offers guests an opportunity to try a variety of one of their kitchen’s ingredients in Taste of the Month. This month it's the balsamic vinegars come Thursday, April 17 ($20).

• In honor of the 1040 tax form and the end of tax season, Tarpy’s Roadhouse (647-1444) and Rio Grill (625-5436) are celebrating with two lunch specials on April 15 from 11:30-4pm for $10.40 each and a business card drawing for $50. Favaloro’s Big Night Bistro (373-8523) does pasta specials like penne puttanesca, spaghetti Melanzane and fettuccine primavera for $10.40 7-10pm. Wine and salads $5 a pop.

• Follow @MontereyMCA on Instagram or Twitter. Broke 1,500 tweets this week, many of the food porn variety. This week: Pebble Beach Food & Wine.