Greer’s Best Buys:

You have no more excuses. You can cook and entertain at home easily, especially with the new Sur La Table opening today at South Coast Plaza. It’s a perfect place for everyone from home cooks to professional chefs to shop. And if you’re a neophyte in the kitchen, just ask one of the sales associates a question. Each one has a background in the culinary arts.

Sur La Table carries an incredible assortment of high-quality tools, many of which cannot be found anywhere else, and superior customer service.

Sur La Table introduces cutting-edge tools and often exclusively launches new products.

They just introduced Scanpan CTX, the world’s first induction-compatible PFOA-free green cookware. And my favorite highly anticipated Nespresso CitiZ espresso machines are available here, too. At the coffee bar, you can learn about different machines, test them out and even taste the coffee to make the best buying decision.

Sur La Table is organized like a well-run home kitchen — presentation is just as important as preparation.

You’ll love the tabletop section, where 80% of the assortment is exclusive, with seasonal colors in dishes, linens, glassware and other accessories, along with the largest collection of Revol white porcelain in the U.S.

Stay tuned for weekly interactive demonstrations to learn about technique and equipment.

The store is open 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday, 11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Sunday on Level 1 of the Crate and Barrel Wing at South Coast Plaza. For more information, call (714) 241-0118 or visit www.surlatable.com.

True Religion boutique

The first True Religion boutique just opened at Fashion Island.

The 2,352-square-foot store carries the entire True Religion collection for men, women and kids, including its signature jeans styles, handbags, footwear, swimwear, hats, eyewear, hosiery, socks and fragrances.

The store is open 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday to Friday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday at 1009 Newport Center Drive, Newport Beach. For more information, call (949) 760-0209 or visit www.truereligion brandjeans.com.

Annual fundraiser

For the seventh year in a row, Bloomingdale’s at South Coast Plaza and Fashion Island will host a charity shopping night — the Fashionable Fundraiser in Black and White.

Stop by today through Sunday and you can shop for a cause (amfAR, the Foundation for AIDS research) and enjoy special offers, fun black-and-white-themed activities, prizes and more.

Call the South Coast Plaza store at (714) 824-4600, Fashion Island at (949) 729-6600. For more information, visit www.bloomingdales.com.

Charity cook-off

Hi-Time Wine Cellars hosts a third annual charity chili cook-off Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

This special event is to raise money for the Boys & Girls Club of the Harbor Area. Enjoy live music and beers from Stone brewery, Mad River, Alesmith, Bear Republic, Port Brewery, Oskar Blues and Maui Brewing, wine, Asom Broso margaritas, about 30 chili booths, giveaways and a lot of swag.

A $5 donation is requested per person. Raffle tickets costs $1.

Tickets can be used toward beverages or chances to win prizes in the raffle. A $20 donation includes one admission and 20 raffle tickets, with a presale donation of $15 (includes one admission and 20 raffle tickets) available through today. All tickets are nonrefundable.

Hi-Time Wine Cellars is at 250 Ogle St. in Costa Mesa. For more information, call (949) 650-8463 or visit www.hitimewine.net.

Alzheimer’s benefit

Join the Wine Lab Newport from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday for a wine and cheese pairing fundraiser for the Alzheimer’s Assn. Memory Walk. Sylvia Frausto hosts the event in honor of her mom. The evening will include five fabulous wines paired with three fine cheeses for $35 per person. Fifty percent of the proceeds plus 10% of all bottle sales for the evening will benefit the Alzheimer’s Assn. Memory Walk.

Wine Lab Newport is a wine bar and shop dedicated to daily wine tasting and education in a fun and inviting setting.

It carries more than 400 carefully selected domestic and international wines with an emphasis on small producers and good quality-to-price ratio. Hard-to-find wines include Booker, RN Estates, L’Aventure, Linne Calodo, VIE and Sol Rouge. Wine Lab also features artisan cheeses, beer by the glass, wine-related merchandise, gift cards and a wine club.

Check out its website for events and tasting flights. Validated parking is available in the 2901 garage. Reservations are recommended.

Wine Lab is open 4 to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, noon to 10 p.m. Friday, 2 to 10 p.m. Saturday, and 2 to 7 p.m. Sunday at 2901 West Coast Highway, Suite 100 in Newport Beach. Call (949) 515-8466 or visit winelabnewport.com.

GREER WYLDER writes Best Buys, which runs Fridays. She’s the founder and president of www.greersoc.com , a free daily e-mail service that provides the latest in Orange County fashion, dining and trends.