What do you think of when you see the football field at The Rose Bowl stadium?
If you attended UCLA [or, like me, are married to someone who did], you might think of all those triumphs and heartbreaks that the students and alumni have experienced there when cheering on their Bruins.
Or, if you are a college football fan in general, you might think of the annual Rose Bowl Game held on New Year’s Day [“the Granddaddy of them all” according to famed sportscaster Keith Jackson].
Or maybe you attended another sporting event or concert there.
But how many times have you been actually on the field? Unless you played football or performed in some other way, I would venture to say: Not many!
Last year Karen and I had the pleasure of being out on the field of the Rose Bowl stadium in Pasadena with a thousand or so other attendees of the inaugural Masters of Taste event, bringing together the best of food and beverages to benefit Union Station Homeless Services. (Get your tickets and use Promo Code Eve101 for 15% off!)
When I wrote about last year’s event, I said: “If you missed it, you missed it.” But I also said: this event should be back next year – I expect even bigger and better.”
And I was right. It is almost time to do it again!
On Sunday, May 7th, 2017, from 3 PM to 7 PM, the 2nd Annual Masters of Taste will once again take place on the Rose Bowl field.
This is a great opportunity to have fun and do good at the same time. Last year’s event raised over $400,000 and this year’s target is well over $500,000, with all proceeds going towards the cause of ending homelessness.
Culinary Masters [such as Hache LA, Little Beast, and Redbird. etc.], Sweet Masters [ such as Lark Cake Shop and Magpies, etc.] and Beverage Masters [like Kombucha Dog, San Antonio Winery and 101 Cider House, etc.], along with live entertainment and more, you’re pretty much guaranteed to have a great time. For us wine lovers especially, I’d like to give a personal welcome to new attendees and friends Golden Star Winery and tercero, along with returning faves Ascension Cellars and Vinemark Cellars, not to mention all the other great purveyors.
You can see the entire list of Masters here:
https://mastersoftastela.com/the-masters/
We had the pleasure of attending the media preview for this upcoming event. While it was not on the field [sad face], it was right next to it in the Rose Garden. We were given the opportunity to sample the wares of:
Culinary Masters:
Chef Jenny Ross of 118 Degrees
Chef Kuniko Yagi of SpireWorks
Chef Erwin Tjahyadi, Bone Kettle and Komodo
Chef Paul Shoemaker of INTRO Art Gallery & Chef’s Table
Chef Michael Hung of Mama Lion
Sweet Master:
Café Dulce
Beverage Masters:
1886
Birds & Bees
Hall Winery
Trinchero Napa Valley
Indie Brewing Company
All the offerings were delicious. If I say that we especially enjoyed the uni tostadas from Mama Lion, the Bangkok sandwiches from SpireWorks and the 7th Street Saison from Indie Brewing Company, along with the cocktails from 1886 and Birds & Bees, that would in no way be intended to diminish the amazingness of the other items.
Based on the quality of the food, sweets and beverages at this preview, I’d guess that this year’s event will be even better than last year’s, if that is even possible. And don’t forget, it will be on the Pasadena. Rose. Bowl. FIELD.
Get your tickets and use Promo Code Eve101 for 15% off!
Michael Perlis has been pursuing his passion for wine for more than 25 years. He has had the good fortune of having numerous mentors to show him the way, as well as a wonderful wife who encourages him and shares his interest. After a couple of decades of learning about wine, attending events, visiting wineries and vineyards, and tasting as much wine as he possibly could, he had the amazing luck to meet Eve Bushman. Now, as Contributing Editor for Eve’s Wine 101, he does his best to bring as much information as possible about wine to Eve’s Wine 101 faithful readers. Michael is also Vice President of Eve Bushman Consulting (fka Eve’s Wine 101 Consulting) http://evebushmanconsulting.com/ and President of MCP Financial. Michael can be contacted at michaelthezinfan@aol.com or michael@evebushmanconsulting.com.
