The 73rd edition of the Los Angeles International Wine & Spirits Competition gets underway here at Fairplex next week. Hundreds of boxes containing thousands of wines from around the world have arrived and are being dutifully processed and carefully placed in our magnificent wine cellar.

As the competition has grown exponentially over the last 10-15 years, so has the number of entries from countries who haven’t entered wines on a regular basis. Greece is one of those countries.

While wine-making in Greece dates back more than 6,500 years, we hadn’t seen a lot of entries from the Hellenic Republic. However, over the last few years, that has changed. So far, we’ve received 15 Greek wines, up from last year. Maybe it is part of Greek vineyards’ plan to introduce new wines to the American market.

The New York Times just ran a story on New Greek Reds. Take a look.

So you have an extra car sitting around or you want to sell your existing car to ramp up your down payment for a new one. But the thought of having buyers come to your house doesn’t sound so appealing. SoCal Auto Showcase has the perfect solution. SCAS is at Fairplex on weekends with what they call a community display lot for used “for-sale-by-owner” cars. Sellers can bring their car here in a safe, mutual location.

 Wallace Hagstrom, owner of SCAS, said selling personally owned cars at community lots is a new trend, one that he sees as a benefit to the seller and the buyer. Buyers can come and peruse a variety of cars in one location. Buyers inspect the vehicles and if interested they call the owner directly, arrange for a “test drive” (owner must be present) and make the deal!  Sellers bring cars, trucks, vans, motorcycles, motor homes, boats, trailers and more (no cars older than 1975 accepted).

There are no commission fees, no middleman. Sellers deal directly with buyers. Sellers pay a fee for having their vehicle on the lot. Check out the website for pricing. The lot is located at Fairplex Gate 23 on Arrow Highway.

Whether you are a buyer or a seller, sounds like a good deal – convenient and safe. Looks like I’ll be heading here in a few years for a certain teenager.

According to an LA Times article, conferences and conventions are expected to be big business in 2012. Well, then, isn’t it apropos that Fairplex just opened the new, state-of-the-art Sheraton Fairplex Conference Center?

The $28 million, 85,000-square-foot conference center opened in January but was formally introduced to business and community partners at a grand opening March 14. The center – the culmination of 15 years of work on the part of Fairplex’s leadership team and the surrounding community – features amazing technology capabilities, is energy efficient and looks spectacular. It’s the only facility of its caliber in the region, with versatile space and a ballroom with a dining capacity for 1,000 – allowing for meetings, presentations and parties of all sizes.

While the actual construction process may have taken 22 months, it was the years-long work leading up to the 2010 groundbreaking that was truly a community effort. The project was made possible with funding from the Los Angeles County Fair Association, county of Los Angeles, city of Pomona, Economic Development Adminsitration and the Small Business Administration. As Rep. Grace Napolitano said: “A conference center of this magnitude is unheard of in this area. This jewel of a Center will attract businesses and educational organizations to meet and empower the entrepreneurs of tomorrow to succeed.”

Check out our web page for more photos and information on the Conference Center. For information on hosting an event there, contact Cindy Smith at cindy.smith@sheraton.com or call (909) 868-5954.

Actually, it will be in the afternoon but don’t get all red in the face. You can get red all over! It’s the Tomato Battle, happening right here at Fairplex tomorrow (Oct. 22). Their motto – Beer. Bands. Tomato Fight. It’s known as the biggest food fight of your life. What a great way to get out the aggression of the week – throw some tomatoes at some poor soul. Pelt your partner. Mash the missus. Fruit your friend (yes, tomatoes are fruits, not vegetables. Look it up).

The SoCal Tomato Battle fun runs from noon to 8 p.m., with the actual tomato throwing happening at 4:30 p.m. Tickets are $59.99 for participants. Spectators can watch the saucing for $29.99. Buy tickets online here.

And before you ask, the tomatoes used are all past the ripe stage and cannot be sold.

Tomato up.