Nightlife in Oceanside

The idea for California Fruit Wine was hatched in 2009, when a friend of Alan and Brian Haghighi introduced the twin brothers to small batches of homemade fruit wine. Since those first sips, Alan, Brian, and their older brother, David, have continued to help wine drinkers break free from grape-based conventions, utilizing such fruit as peaches, strawberries, plums, and pumpkins as the foundation for an ever-growing arsenal of flavors. From dry to sweet, the winery fills glasses with unique bouquets, and—like the microbreweries throughout Vista Business Park—buys its ingredients from local sources rather than growing them or stealing them from the refrigerators of napping bears. California Fruit Wine's spacious facility, which is stocked with a stage, bar, and pool table, can also be rented out for parties and private events.

Twisted Vine Bistro's staff comprises a fifth-generation Italian vintner and two veteran California-born chefs who cultivate unpretentious epicurean experiences praised by Gayot and Thrillist. During tasting events, local winemakers mingle with guests and tie-dye tongues with fine red and white varietals, which tasters pair with locally sourced snacks from the eatery's menu. The topic of each cooking class rotates frequently, but all sessions allow amateur foodies to rub spatulas with classically trained chefs so they can finally ask an expert why their oven never seems to get their undershirts their whitest. Artwork forged by local artists decks the space, and elegant drapery pulls back to reveal ample windows, which stream sunlight onto green and orange walls.

The sounds of conversation and laughter compete with the clinking of glasses in The Wine Artist’s lofty venue. The space sprawls over 2,500 square feet, with plenty of room to host wine tastings, networking events, and cooking classes. During these classes, students perch on wrought-iron stools around marble countertops as they learn to prepare food with wine or the cuisine of faraway countries such as Italy, Thailand, or Narnia. Afterward, they savor their creations amid the pale tiled floors and dark-wood accents of the Tuscan-style space.

Seeing nothing but kippers and meat pies when you look at the edible clouds in the sky is a sure-fire signal that your belly craves some British grub. Today's Groupon sends your appetite across the Atlantic for $25 worth of grub and libations at The Royal Falconer for $9. Journey to either of two locations, Riverside or Redlands, for genuine English fare, crisp brews, and the company of hearty pub goers.

A former vaudeville performance space and movie palace built in 1928, the California Theatre of the Performing Arts hearkens back to a bygone era with its majestic Wurlitzer organ, which is played during silent-film programs, and a time portal linked to the childhood home of Alexander Pantages. The theater’s deep-red stage curtains and ornate, vaulted ceilings steep the senses in a vintage ambiance, and the heartfelt scenes that unfold on its stage make the space seem much cozier than a 1,718-seat auditorium has any right to.

Bartenders mix more than 30 specialty martinis at Lounge 33, a riverside bar that owes its sophistication to owners Angela and George Tavaglione. The owners’ extensive menu of mixed drinks includes nods to highbrow entertainment, including The Godfather, a drink that fuses Johnnie Walker Green Label and Disaronno amaretto, or the Dirt and Spice martini, an avant-garde combination of Absolut Peppar and olive juice, Tapatio hot sauce, and lemon. Though the focus is on mixed drinks, the Tavagliones also stock wine and beer, while their skilled cooks prepare flatbread pizzas and italian meatball sandwiches guaranteed not to pop a meatball out and send it rolling to the top of Mount Smokey.