Wine in the Pines 2017: Leave Your Troubles Behind You (Look for Eve there too!)

April 28, 2017 by evebushman Leave a Comment

PINE MOUNTAIN CLUB, CA – Leave your troubles behind and travel to an oasis – only an hour or so north from Los Angeles. Pine Mountain Village, at the crest of the 5-freeway, has a unique venue that wine, beer, food and music lovers have enjoyed attending for more than a decade: Wine in the Pines. The event is on June 10 from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m., with a VIP entry at 12:00. Proceeds from Wine in the Pines benefit the American Cancer Society.

“It’s so exciting to see so many wineries, both big and boutique, returning for Wine in the Pines 2017,” Mark Bailey, owner of the local Madd Bailey’s Pub and the Wine Room Gallery said. “Last year’s event was epic, and once again, the village gazebo area will be transformed into the fabulous Lompoc Wine Ghetto, alongside barbecue and live music.”

At press time winery participants include Ascension Cellars, Cass Winery, Cantara Cellars, Charles Wine, Enjoy Wine, Frolicking Frog Cellars, Flying Goat, Golden Star Vineyards, JFC International, La Montagne, Lapus Luna, Madd Bailey’s Wine, MM Organics, Mountain Ranch Winery, Opolo Vineyards, Pomar Junction, Ranchita Canyon Vineyard, Sagebrush Annie’s, Silkwood Wines, Stephen Hemmert Wines, Tobin James, Turiya, Vinestead, Vista Del Rey Vineyards and Workman Ayer.

Wolf Creek Brewery, Tioga Sequoia Brewing Company, Firestone and Stella Artois are the craft beer breweries also signed up so far, while food vendors include Big Mike’s Ragin BBQ, Brazil Hot Dogs, La Lena Mexican Restaurant and Wolf Creek Restaurant.

In addition to the wine, beer and food vendors there is always live music wafting through our woods – at least three bands!

The Wine Room Gallery Wine Bar in Pine Mountain will be open on both Saturday and Sunday from 12:00 to 6:00 p.m. and guests will be able to purchase and take home some of the wines they tasted at the festival. Tickets and information: www.WineInThePines.com, 661-242-8810, thewineroomgallery@yahoo.com and Facebook.

Information on cabins available for rent is also on the website: www.WineInThePines.com and there is a Holiday Inn located nearby.

15TH ANNUAL SAN FERNANDO VALLEY FOOD & WINE FESTIVAL, MAY 13, 2017

April 19, 2017 by evebushman Leave a Comment

THE LOS ANGELES MISSION COLLEGE (LAMC) FOUNDATION HOSTS 15th ANNUAL SAN FERNANDO VALLEY FOOD & WINE FESTIVAL

Theme – “International Cuisine”- Fundraiser at Los Angeles Mission College Supporting Student Scholarships

SYLMAR, CA – The Los Angeles Mission College (LAMC) Foundation will be hosting the 15^thAnnual San Fernando Valley Food & Wine Festival on Saturday, May 13, 2017.

This signature event raises crucial funds for our scholarship programs which provides a local financial support system for students and has awarded more than $100,000 in scholarships, thanks to the success of events like this. It will be an exciting and fun-filled day to include exquisite cuisine prepared by our award-winning Culinary Arts Institute, wonderful wines, a silent auction, live entertainment and much more!

Mayor Eric Garcetti has personally confirmed his attendance. We expect many other civic and community leaders to attend and so should you!

“San Fernando Valley Food & Wine Festival is a yearly must-attend event for the San Fernando Valley.”

This year’s Annual Food & Wine Festival is expected to draw hundreds of guests in the beautiful Los Angeles Mission College Culinary Arts Institute Building on the afternoon of May 13 from 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM.

With a theme of “International Cuisine” attendees will enjoy cuisine from around the world, pared with wines to complement each dish. In addition, we will be hosting a silent auction, pastry pavilion, and live entertainment provided by local artists.

Meet our amazing faculty and staff of master chefs, including Culinary Arts Department Chair, Chef Louis Eguaras. His past experience includes: Executive Chef of Presidential Culinary Services; Author of bestselling book “101 Things I Learned in Culinary School,” and former White House Chef at Camp David Presidential Retreat and The White House.

General admission tickets are $65 and VIP tickets are $150. All tickets will include a beautiful souvenir stemmed wine glass to commemorate the event.

VIP tickets will include: Lanyards which allow entrance into the VIP lounge area; A private tour of our state-of-the-art kitchens in action; autographed copy of Chef Louis Eguaras’s bestselling book “101 Things I learned in Culinary School.”; special foods to be served in VIP area only one hour before the admission of the general public; select champagnes served in VIP area only

To purchase tickets, please visit http://sfvfw.com/ or call: 818 364-7600 ext. 7111

About the Los Angeles College Foundation: The Los Angeles Mission College Foundation is the support arm of the college, made up of community members and civic and business leaders. The mission of Los Angeles Mission College Foundation is to raise funds and provide stewardship for funds already raised, through annual scholarship drives, special events, grant applications and business partnerships. Our goal is to provide a local financial support system to needy and deserving students entering and continuing their education at Mission College. Our vision is to improve the quality of life in our community by providing support for individuals from diverse backgrounds to pursue quality accessible educational programs and services.

Taste of Fall Fundraiser, with Coruce Wines, for Children’s Hospital Los Angeles Scheduled

November 7, 2016 by evebushman Leave a Comment

The Antelope Valley Guild of the Children’s Hospital Los Angeles invites you to join us for a “Taste of Fall” toy fundraiser and wine tasting event.

“Taste of Fall” will take place at the beautiful, private, Valyermo Ranch from 4 pm to 7 pm on Saturday November 12^th and will feature wines from the multiple award winning Coruce Vineyards and Winery.

Your donation of $35 per person will include 10 wine tastings in a beautiful private ranch house, live music, a glass of wine of your choosing, a souvenir glass, a door prize, and your contribution to the Children’s Hospital LA toy fund.

You can get tickets and directions by contacting Donna Arvesen at (661) 713-1707 or Holly Hopkins at (661) 965-9263.

The Antelope Valley Guild of Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, one of several in Southern California, was founded in 1955 by a group of friends interested in supporting CHLA. About 2,465 children from the Antelope Valley are treated each year by the hospital. To provide real time critical care allowing physicians to work from a distance, Children’s’ Hospital has established a telemedicine robot connection with Antelope Valley Hospital.

Each year the Antelope Valley Guild holds a toy fundraiser to help supply the over 500 toys distributed weekly to the children served by CHLA.

This year’s event, “Taste of Fall”, is in a sprawling ranch setting up a private road behind the post office in the picturesque community of Valyermo, in the Antelope Valley San Gabriel Foothills.

2017 Big Sur Foragers Festival Dates Announced

September 15, 2016 by evebushman Leave a Comment

Big Sur Health Center announced January 13 – 15, 2017, as the dates of its annual Big Sur Foragers Festival. This year’s partners include Carmel Valley Ranch, the sister property of longtime host Ventana Big Sur. Due to renovations at Ventana Big Sur, the Fungus Face-Off and the Grand Chef dinner will take place at Carmel Valley Ranch this year.

The event has traditionally served as a fundraiser for the Big Sur Health Center. The community’s non-profit health center will receive the proceeds from the foraging events to help support the continued presence of local healthcare services in the Big Sur area.

New events for 2017 include:

– A new Friday night winemaker dinner series held at select restaurants throughout Monterey County. Some partners include La Balena, Alvarado Street Brewery and more! Details to come.

– Post Ranch Inn will host a Friday night fundraiser for the second year! Details to come.

– Join us for a special evening in the legendary wine room at Hyatt Carmel Highlands. Chef Chad Minton and the culinary team will create a three course meal paired with wines from Bonny Doon Vineyard. The evening will begin with a reception of passed appetizers, wines from Bonny Doon and live music from Dino Vera from 6:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. At 7:00 p.m. enjoy a three course dinner in the legendary wine room. Meet the culinary team and Bonny Doon Vineyard! There are only 24 seats available. Tickets are $175 per person.

Back by Popular Demand:

– This year’s partners include Carmel Valley Ranch, the summer-camp-inspired sister resort of longtime host Ventana Big Sur that sprawls across 500 acres in the nearby Carmel Valley. Due to renovations at Ventana Big Sur, this year’s Fungus Face-Off and the Grand Chef dinner will take place at this playful destination resort that celebrates a deep connection to the land with passionate culinary, wine and farming artisans, and guest learning experiences ranging from organic gardening and foraging to wine making and lavender and beekeeping workshops. The “Fungus Face-Off” will take place in a beautiful tented setting on the Pete Dye-designed golf course at Carmel Valley Ranch. This popular event sells out early. There are 250 tickets available. Tickets are $65 per person.

– Grand Chef Dinner at Carmel Valley Ranch — details to be announced soon.

– Foraging walk led by local experts at Ventana Big Sur. “Wild Mushroom Walks and Talk” at Pfeiffer State Park led by expert mushroom foragers. This year hikes will be held on Sunday. There are 30 spaces available per walk. Tickets are $60 per person.

For event details visit the website here. Tickets can be purchased here!

Art Beyond the Glass V – L.A.’s Top Bartenders Come Together to Celebrate Five Years With Cocktails For A Great Cause & Art Beyond the Glass Goes National!

June 20, 2016 by evebushman Leave a Comment

Art Beyond the Glass V: L.A.’s Top Bartenders Come Together to Celebrate Five Years With Cocktails For A Great Cause & Art Beyond the Glass Goes National Starting With Oklahoma City, Chicago & Las Vegas!

ABTG logo designed by Dave Stolte, Home Bar Basics

Los Angeles, CA – Now celebrating its fifth year, Art Beyond the Glass V is taking place on Sunday, June 26, 2016 at Resident in Downtown Los Angeles. This year, Art Beyond the Glass will celebrate their five-year anniversary by expanding to a five-hour event, featuring an incredible lineup of top bartenders from across the L.A. area, mixing cocktails and showcasing their art, music, photography and much more, all while raising funds for Global Inheritance.

To coincide with its five-year anniversary, Art Beyond the Glass is going national and expanding for the first time to cities across the country starting with Oklahoma City, Chicago and Las Vegas. While showcasing bartender artistry and raising funds for a local cultural nonprofit will remain constant, the national ABTG events will also spotlight the unique spirit of these bar communities and their great cities. To read more about the Art Beyond the Glass National Expansion and see where ABTG is headed, please visit www.ArtBeyondtheGlass.com.

L.A. Bartenders returning to this year’s ABTG V include: Aaron Melendrez (Salazar), Alex Barbatsis (BarToni’s), Alyson Iwamoto (The Varnish), Beau Du Bois (The Corner Door), Cari Hah (Big Bar), Chris Amirault (Fiscal Agent), Christopher Day (General Lee’s), Dan Sabo (Ace Hotel), Dave Fernie (Honeycut), Dustin Newsome (Salazar), Christine Wiseman (Break Room 86), Eugene Lee (Big Bar), Francois Vera (Pour Vous), Genie Gore (Melrose Umbrella Co.), Greg Bryson (The Wallace), Jeremy Lake (Lost Property), Joe Valdovinos (Salazar), Karen Grill (Wolf), Kalani Ben (Sassafras Saloon), Katie Emmerson (The Walker Inn), Ryan Wainwright (Terrine), Una Green (Belcampo Meat Co.), William Cutting (Resident), Yael Vengroff (The Spare Room) and the Godfather of the L.A. cocktail scene, Vincenzo Marianella (Copa d’Oro).

First time ABTG participating bartenders include: Aaron Polsky (Harvard & Stone), Adam Fournier (Chestnut Club + Areal), Bethany Ham (Corner Door), BC Hoffman (The Edison), Brad Fry (Michael’s Restaurant Group), Dee Ann Quinones (Westbound), Florence Hartigan (Big Bar), Jodi Calderon (Normandie Club), Jonathan Joy (Belcampo Meat Co.), Josh Suchan (FOH), Julie Bersani (Big Bar), Michael Lay (Broken Spanish), and many more to be announced.

Hosted by Matt Robold (aka rumdood), Art Beyond the Glass V is taking place at Resident, a stunning indoor-outdoor venue located in the heart of the Arts District of Downtown L.A.. Housed in a historic industrial building, Resident features a craft cocktail program by Randy Tarlow (Liquid Alchemist), a beer garden and an eclectic calendar of live music and DJ sessions.

Art Beyond the Glass was co-founded in 2012 by Courvoisier National Brand Ambassador, Zahra Bates and Daniel Djang, Founder and Editor of the cocktail and spirits blog, Thirsty in LA (www.thirstyinla.com). “We are so grateful to the extraordinary family of L.A. bartenders and our wonderful sponsors that have donated their time, talent and product on behalf of these vital nonprofits. From saving an arts facility from closing to restoring a historic mural and contributing to the construction of a public radio station and community gathering place, Art Beyond the Glass will continue to make a positive and lasting impact on L.A.’s cultural legacy,” says Djang.

Last year’s event was the largest Art Beyond the Glass to date, which raised just over $20,000 for KCRW. This year’s designated charity is Global Inheritance, an L.A. based 501(c)(3)nonprofit that develops experiences that educate individuals about global issues and inspire them to take positive actions that create solutions.

The all-inclusive Art Beyond the Glass V ticket includes cocktails, art, entertainment, and bar bites, which are courtesy of acclaimed chefs such as Jonathan Whitener, the former chef de cuisine at Animal who is opening the highly anticipated Here’s Looking at You in Koreatown this summer. The bar program for Here’s Looking at You is being created by ABTG board members, Allan Katz and Danielle Crouch. Also, for the first time, Bar Keeper will be featuring a pop up store at ABTG. In addition, guests will be able to purchase bartender art, buy raffle tickets and bid on silent auction items such as artwork, photography, rare spirits and more.

Art Beyond the Glass V is being made possible with the generous support of our sponsoring brands, including: The 86 Co., Bacardi, Back Bar Project, BroVo Spirits, Courvoisier, El Silencio, FEW Spirits, Golden Road Brewing, House of Agricole, Jack Daniel’s, Jägermeister, Owl’s Brew, Pisco Portón, The Rum Society, SelvaRey Rum, Stark Spirits, Liquid Alchemist, Miracle Mile Bitters, Winship’s Bitters and West Coast Ice Provisions, with more to be confirmed.

Once again, Art Beyond the Glass V is being produced with the participation and support of the Southern California Chapter of the United States Bartenders Guild (USBG).

Ticket Information: Art Beyond the Glass V will take place on Sunday, June 26^th, 2016 at Resident from 2:00 pm to 7:00 pm. Tickets for the event are $60.00 per person and will be available exclusively at Eventbrite until 6:00 pm on Saturday, June 25th, 2016. If available, a very limited number of tickets will be sold at the door for $75 per person. Last year’s ABTG sold out; purchasing online tickets is strongly recommended.

Art Beyond the Glass V is a 21-year and over event (ID is required), and ABTG strongly recommends using a rideshare service such as Uber or Lyft. For more information, please visit www.ArtBeyondtheGlass.com.

Perlis Picks: DRY CREEK VALLEY ON TOUR

March 26, 2016 by evebushman Leave a Comment

Last week’s article wrapped up our day in Dry Creek Valley. Before moving on to our last day in Sonoma County [finally, right?] I wanted to interrupt the regularly scheduled programming with a great event that happened recently in Los Angeles involving the Dry Creek Valley.

On February 20^th, 2016, the Winegrowers of Dry Creek Valley took their show on the road. Dry Creek Valley On Tour, along with Ian Blackburn’s Wine LA, hosted a very appreciative crowd of wine lovers, including my wife Karen and me, at Smashbox Studios in Culver City.

Now if anybody knows how to put on a great event it is Ian, and the WDCV couldn’t have picked a better partner to help showcase all the Dry Creek Valley has to offer.

Of the more than 60 wineries in the Dry Creek, which is just outside of Healdsburg in Sonoma County, twenty of them made the trip south to share a great sampling of what has become one of my favorite wine regions, especially for zinfandel:

32 Winds Wine
Amista Vineyards
Bella Vineyards
Cast Wines
Collier Falls
Comstock Wines
DaVero Farms & Winery
Dry Creek Vineyard
Dutcher Crossing Winery
Ferrari-Carano
Frick Winery
Fritz Underground Winery
Mazzocco Winery
Mounts Family Winery
Pedroncelli Winery
Quivira Vineyards
Rued Wines
Sbragia Family Vineyards
Seghesio Family Vineyards
Wilson Winery

The event started at noon for the VIP ticket holders.

[Note to readers: WineLA events typically include General Admission tickets and VIP tickets. The VIP option provides early entry and other benefits. When possible, I recommend you go for the VIP experience, although if you opt for General Admission you won’t be disappointed either.]

The VIP portion started with the Hog Island Oysters traveling oyster bar on the studio patio, with a selection of white wines being poured by participating wineries. I like oysters but am not an aficionado. Karen is from Boston and knows whereof she speaks – she said they were excellent. Some of our favorite wines with the oysters were the Frick Winery 2013 Grenache Blanc, Comstock Wines 2014 Sauvignon Blanc and Cast Wines Sparkling Blanc de Noirs.

We then went back into the main tasting area, where Ian presented information about the event as well as talked about the beneficiary of the silent auction proceeds – the T.J. Martell Foundation, which raises funds for cancer, leukemia and AIDS research. [Just another reason to attend WineLA’s events.]

As more food was served [thanks to Chef Bob Blumer, Baby Blues BBQ, One World Beef and Cowgirl Creamery], writer Dan Dunn [whose book American Wino is due out in April] interviewed a few of the winemaking luminaries in attendance, including:

Clay Fritz of Fritz Underground Winery

Diane Wilson of Wilson Winery

Joe Healy of Bella Vineyards

Julie Pedroncelli of Pedroncelli Winery

Tim Bell of Dry Creek Vineyard

And the legendary Ed Sbragia of Sbragia Family Vineyards.

Just as our thirst for wine could wait no longer, the grand tasting was opened to the VIP tasters in advance of access by the general admission ticket holders. The added benefit to early access was the opportunity to sample limited quantities of “special” wines that the wineries had brought down from the Dry Creek Valley. Plus, with most wineries having winemakers in attendance, there was ample opportunity to have one-on-one time with them.

With twenty wineries in attendance and each winery pouring from three to six wines, I only tasted at about half the tables, even with the extra time. Of those I tasted, these were my favorites [if a winery isn’t listed below, it probably just means I didn’t make it to that table; also note that the wines in bold were in limited quantities for the VIP tasters, although they were still poured for the general attendees if any was left].

Bella Vineyards

2007 Bella Canyon Zinfandel

2013 Florence Zinfandel

2012 Lily Hill Petite Sirah

Cast Wines

NV Sparkling Bland de Noirs, Sonoma County

2012 Grey Palm Estate Petite Sirah

2013 Grey Palm Estate Zinfandel

2013 Grey Palm Estate Petite Sirah

Collier Falls

2012 Hillside Estate Primitivo

2012 Hillside Estate Cabernet

Comstock Wines

2014 Sauvignon Blanc, Dry Creek Valley

2012 Zinfandel, Dry Creek Valley

2013 Zinfandel Old Vines, Dry Creek Valley

Dutcher Crossing Winery

2013 Bernier-Sibary Zinfandel

2012 Taylor Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon

Frick Winery

2013 Grenache Blanc, Dry Creek Valley Estate Owl Hill Vineyard

2006 Cinsaut, Dry Creek Valley

2013 Counoise, Dry Creek Valley Estate Owl Hill Vineyard

2013 Mourvedre, Dry Creek Valley Estate Owl Hill Vineyard

Fritz Underground Winery

2012 Reserve Zinfandel

2013 Estate Zinfandel, Dry Creek Valley

Mazzocco Winery

2013 West Dry Creek Zinfandel

2013 Smith Orchard Reserve Zinfandel

Pedroncelli Winery

2004 Mother Clone Zinfandel, Dry Creek Valley

2014 Dry Rose of Zinfandel, Dry Creek Valley

2012 Wisdom Cabernet Sauvignon, Dry Creek Valley

Sbragia Family Vineyards

2006 Gino’s Vineyard Zinfandel, Dry Creek Valley

2012 La Promessa Zinfandel, Dry Creek Valley

Wilson Winery

2011 Sawyer Zinfandel, Dry Creek Valley

2013 Sydney Petite Sirah, Estate Grown, Dry Creek Valley

2013 Nolan Zinfandel, Estate Grown, Dry Creek Valley

Usually at a tasting like this, I try to pick a favorite wine that really stood out for me. This time, the winner was…I can’t…I just can’t do it. There were so many great wines at this tasting. I did have some takeaways though:

I was surprised at how well the older wines, especially the zinfandels, were showing. It really belied the conventional wisdom that zins should be consumed young.

And while I’ve always been a fan of Dry Creek zins, I developed a new appreciation for the cabernet from the region.

Attending tastings that focus on specific areas, especially ones as well run as this, can really expose the wine lover to what a wine region is all about – a great way to expand your palate in a short period of time.

The Dry Creek Valley is producing some amazing wines. If you missed this event, don’t despair. Passport to Dry Creek Valley is happening April 23 and 24^th. Go to drycreekvalley.org and get your tickets now!

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.

Why LA (and Michael Perlis) LOVES Alex’s Lemonade

October 3, 2015 by evebushman Leave a Comment

One again, my wife Karen and I had the great pleasure to take advantage of Eve’s absence to attend one of the best food and wine events in the Los Angeles area – LA Loves Alex’s Lemonade. It is one of the best for a few reasons. Not only are the food and beverages outstanding, along with entertainment and great auction items, but last and definitely not least [actually MOST important] is the cause. I don’t think anyone could come up with a more deserving cause than raising funds to fight childhood cancer. I doubt if any of us have not been touched by cancer in some way, and a sick child makes it even more heartbreaking.

Local Somm George Skorka

For those don’t know the Alex’s Lemonade story:

“Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation (ALSF) emerged from the front yard lemonade stand of cancer patient Alexandra “Alex” Scott (1996-2004). In 2000, 4-year-old Alex announced that she wanted to hold a lemonade stand to raise money to help find a cure for all children with cancer. Since Alex held that first stand, the Foundation bearing her name has evolved into a national fundraising movement, complete with thousands of supporters across the country carrying on her legacy of hope…We’ve raised more than $100 million since 2005 to fund 500 childhood cancer research projects at 102 top hospitals and institutions in the US and Canada.”

LA Loves Alex’s Lemonade is the local event for this great organization. The event, hosted by Chef Suzanne Goin and business partner Caroline Styne of Lucques, AOC and Tavern, and Chef David Lentz of The Hungry Cat , took place again on the beautiful Royce Quad at UCLA.

Superstar chefs based in Los Angeles, along with some from other parts of the country, donate their time and food to this great cause. The list of participants reads like a veritable Who’s Who of culinary wizardry (from the website)…

Thomas Bellec (Los Angeles, CA) – The Blvd at Beverly Wilshire, A Four Seasons Hotel
John Besh (New Orleans, LA) – Besh Restaurant Group
Chris Bianco (Phoenix, AZ) – Pizzeria Bianco, Pane Bianco, Bar Bianco
Micah Camden and Katie Poppe (Los Angeles, CA) – Blue Star Donuts
Roy Choi (Los Angeles, CA) – Kogi BBQ
Michael Cimarusti & Tristan Aitchinson (Los Angeles, CA) – Connie & Ted’s, Providence
Scott Conant & Freddy Vargas (Los Angeles, CA) – Scarpetta
Giada De Laurentiis (Las Vegas, NV) – Giada Vegas
Eva Ein (Los Angeles, CA) – McConnell’s Fine Ice Creams
Ray England & Shannon Swindle (Los Angeles, CA) – craft
Tony Esnault (Los Angeles, CA)- Church & State Bistro
Susan Feniger (Los Angeles, CA) – Mud Hen Tavern
Michael Fiorelli & Rebecca Merhej – (Los Angeles, CA) – Love & Salt
Benjamin Ford (Los Angeles, CA) – Ford’s Filling Station
Jeremy Fox (Los Angeles, CA) – Rustic Canyon Wine Bar and Seasonal Kitchen
Neal Fraser (Los Angeles, CA) – redbird, BLD, ICDC, Fritzi dog
Ray Garcia (Los Angeles, CA) – Broken Spanish
Suzanne Goin & Amy Deaderick (Los Angeles, CA) – Lucques, Tavern
Hedy Goldsmith (Los Angeles, CA) – Sweet Hedy, Inc.
Valerie Gordon (Los Angeles, CA) – Valerie Confections
Cosmo Goss (Chicago, IL)- The Publican
Jonathan Grahm (Los Angeles, CA) – Compartés Chocolatier
Lauren Herman (Los Angeles, CA) – a.o.c.
Maria Hines (Seattle, WA) – Tilth, Golden Beetle, Agrodolce
Bruce Kalman (Los Angeles, CA) – Knead & Co pasta bar + market
Anthony Keene (Los Angeles, CA)- The London West Hollywood
Brandon Kida (Los Angeles, CA) – Hinoki and the Bird
Adam Perry Lang (New York, NY + Los Angeles, CA) – Serious BBQ
Ludo Lefebvre (Los Angeles, CA) – Trois Mec
David LeFevre (Manhattan Beach, CA) – Manhattan Beach Post, Fishing with Dynamite, The Arthur J
David Lentz (Los Angeles, CA) – The Hungry Cat
Donald Link (New Orleans, LA) – peche, Herbsaint, Cochan, Cochan, Butcher
Jenn Louis (Portland, OR) – Lincoln Restaurant, Sunshine Tavern
Tyler Malek (Los Angeles, CA) – Salt & Straw
Mary Sue Milliken (Los Angeles, CA) – Border Grill
Zoe Nathan (Los Angeles, CA) – Huckleberry Café and Bakery
Nancy Oakes & Dana Younkin (San Francisco, CA) – Boulevard Restaurant
Lanchlan Mackinnon-Patterson (Boulder, CO) – Frasca Food & Wine
Chris Phelps & Zak Walters (Los Angeles, CA)- Salt’s Cure
Steve Samson (Los Angeles, CA) – Sotto
Michael Schwartz (Miami, FL) – Michael’s Genuine Food & Drink, The Cyprus, Harry’s Pizzeria
Mindy Segal (Chicago, IL) – Hot Chocolate
Nancy Silverton (Los Angeles, CA) – Mozza Restaurant Group
Jonathan Sundstrom (Seattle, WA) – Lark, Bitter/Raw, Slab Sandwiches & Pie
Suzanne Tracht (Los Angeles, CA) – Jar
Marc Vetri & Jeff Michaud (Philadelphia, PA) – Vetri
Michael Voltaggio (Los Angeles, CA) – ink
Rocco Whalen (Cleveland, OH) – Fahrenheit Charlotte
Jason Winters (Los Angeles, CA) – Urban Pie
Kris Yenbamroong (Los Angeles, CA)- Night + Market
Johnny Yoo (Los Angeles, CA) – A-Frame
Shiho Yoshikawa (Santa Monica, CA) – Sweet Rose Creamery

This provided a great opportunity to try dishes from chefs that you may have heard of but had not yet had a chance to try – excellent for planning your next evening out! In addition, with chefs coming in from all over, there was an ability to try dishes from restaurants you may never get a chance to visit unless you’re on vacation. Really hard to pick favorites here, but some highlights for me were the pozole and fried pig ears from Neal Fraser, lamb ribs tikki masla from Anthony Keene, tomato slurpee with avocado cream from Michael Voltaggio, grilled lamb chops from Nancy Silverton and the veal tartare from Ben Ford.

Of course, there were plenty of libations to accompany the food:

The mixologists (from the website)…

Eric Alperin (Los Angeles, CA) – The Varnish

Neal Bodenheimer (New Orleans, LA) – Cure

Dona Bridges (Los Angeles, CA) – The Hungry Cat

Martin Daraz (Los Angeles, CA) – Highland Park

Beau du Bois (Los Angeles, CA) – The Corner Door

Jeremy Lake (Buellton, CA) – Ascendant Spirits

Darwin Manahan (Los Angeles, CA) – Cliff’s Edge & Osso DTLA

Christian Rollich & Ignacio Murillo (Los Angeles, CA) – Lucuqes, a.o.c., Tavern

Marcos Tello & Aidan Demarest (Santa Monica, CA) – Mezcal El Silencio

The vintners (from the website)…

Matt Ahern – Next Generation Wine Co.
Amitié Wines
Anthony Anselmi – The Rare Wine Co.
Jason Berry – Amite Winery
Michael Bassler – North Berkley Wine
John Bigelow – Indie Wineries
Jeff Boyer – Paul Hobbs Wines
Brown Estate Vineyards – David and Coral Brown
Brittany Carlisi – Indigenous Selections
Champagne Lanson
Amy Christine – Holus Bolus
Randy Clement – Silverlake Wine, Everson Royce, Silverlake Wine Arts District
Gregory Condes – Gregory Condes Wines
Tom Donegan- Hudson Wine
Patrick Dorsey – Langdon-Shiverick
Jamie Edlin – Hollywood and Wine
Jeff Fischer – Habit
Keith Fox – Grapevine Wine Co.
Dan Fredman – Trombetta Family Wines
Sandy Garber – Garber & Co., A Wine Company
Steve Greer – Springboard Wine Company
Christina Hammond – Red Car Wine Co.
Gray Hartley & Frank Ostini – Hitching Post Wines
Jared Heber – Quality Wine
Tom Hunter- Revel Wine
Kimberly Jones- Kimberly Jones Selections
Christopher Keller – Emanuel Tres Wines
Joshua Klapper – La Fenetre Wines
Raphael Knapp – Return to Terroir – natural wines
Jim Knight – The Winehouse
Claude Koeberle – Soliste Winery
Seth Kunin – Kunin Wines
Rick Margaritov – George Wine Co.
Andrew Marini – SCRIBE Winery, Sonoma, CA
Chad Melville – Melville Winery, Samsara
Roger Morrison – Jardesca
Rajat Parr- Domaine de la Cote, Seven Springs, Sandhi
Eric Railsback – Lieu Dit Winery
Patti Rogers – Martian Ranch & Vineyard, Los Alamos, CA
Josh Rosenstein – Hoxie Spritzer
Hope Shiverick – The Henry Wine Group
Tracey and John Skupny – Lang & Reed Wine Company
Ernst Storm- Storm Wines
Katherine Strange – Strange Wines
Bobby Stuckey – Scarpetta Wine
Alexander Stuempfig – European Cellars
Rebecca Taggart – Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant
Cindy Wenzlau – Wenzlau Vineyard
Drake Whitcraft – Whitcraft Winery
David Wiater – Cellar Door Wine Selections
Justin Willett – Tyler Winery

So many to choose from. Especially enjoyed:

Zinfandels from Brown Estate.

Martian Ranch’s Tempranillo.

Indie Wineries interesting selection of international wines.

Emanuel Tres Wines Rosado

Habit Gruner Veltliner and the Habit Red

Hudson Wine Brokers – loving the resurgence of Australian wines, food friendly and delicious.

and our very own George Skorka pouring the Pinot Noirs from Trombetta.

And while we are primarily wine drinkers, of the cocktails we especially enjoyed Darwin Manahan’s Grilled Pineapple Punch. So refreshing on an oddly kind-of-tropical day in Westwood.

But with all the fun, this was for a serious and important cause. For a brief time during the event, chefs stopped serving and winery reps stopped pouring while Jay and Liz Scott, Alex’s parents, spoke to the crowd about the cause Alex created and how it is being carried on in her name. Very moving, and the crowd was clearly moved into action as the live auction started and thousands and thousands of dollars were pledged for private dinners and the like donated by participant chefs. The live auction itself raised more than $300,000 with the entire event generating more than $1,000,000! Clearly this event, and Alex’s legacy, is in good hands and the good fight is being fought.

The Buzz from the FIRST Cocktails on the Roof

October 2, 2015 by evebushman Leave a Comment

A whiskey distiller, a long list of email sign ups for more info from the L.A. Scotch Club, a favorite local mixologist, an author, beer cocktails, a bitters lesson/tasting, a sake expert, a professional dancer, gin in a sparkling wine, dozens of restaurant owners, a fun DJ, killer orangecello, whiskey under the table, a guest that bought a $200 bottle at the event to sip on with pals, boozy bundlets, thick mocktails, dancing the Macarena, a free bakery, spirits from a winery, an appreciative school board…why do I need to write an article? Read for yourself what the guests thought of the first Cocktails on the Roof below, in the coverage here from KHTS hometown station, here in the Signal newspaper and check out the red carpet photos too!

The Buzz That Night

Starting off with Amy Daniels, Executive Director, Wish Education Foundation – Clearly, people in our beautiful SCV understand the value in great public education and are open to creative, fun, responsible ways to support the WiSH Education Foundation’s mission to assist our students and educators! Cocktails on the Roof was only possible because of the invaluable generosity of our sponsors, participants and a great group of organizers. Cheers to all for the newest, “best party the SCV has ever seen!”

Kathy L. – So much fun tonight at Cocktails on the Roof. Great event Eve Bushman.

Ken and Frances P. – (we) had a great time. Too many people don’t know about LA Scotch Club. Now they do! Thank you Eve!

solita tacos and margaritas – Thank you so much for including us! We truly admire all that the WiSH Education Foundation does and it was an AMAZING event!!!

Kathi D. – Looking forward to the 2016 version…as long as all your terrific vendors (and more?) are back! Great vibe, amazing food and spirits, inventive (and tasty) cocktails, awesome DJ – a fun, fun night for a good cause. Thanks for pulling it all together.

Theresa H. – Such a great time.

Cheryl D. – A most enjoyable evening!

Emily C. – I found new loves of food from every place I tried, I will definitely be frequenting all of these food vendors again, not only for the amazing food they have but for the continual support throughout the community for all of the events that they do…Chicken kabob…Steak kabob, bacon wrapped scallops, scallops Poke, garlic hummus, salmon salad, empanadas, cup cakes, bundt cakes, pasta Bolognese, and a lot and I mean a lot of sweet cocktails…. Oh and bread and oil and bacon wrapped shrimp… So much good food last night my appetite doesn’t want anything else than the wonderful food! Good friends good dancing good cocktails at #Cocktailsontheroof. And had a fun time dancing on the dance floor with the amazing dancer Janine Jones.

Gail P. – Awesome! Great job Eve!

Sonya R. – Excellent time!!! Thank you for all your work and effort!

Kathy W. – The shrimp wrapped in bacon from Salt Creek and those Diego Lara drinks were our fave.

Jennifer C. – What a fun event…beautifully executed!

Dee Dee J. – Great event! Definitely coming next year!

Lori C. – A very nice affair for our city…we just got back from Cocktails on the Roof, a benefit for the William S. Hart District. It was a who’s who of many of our local eateries – with each providing a sample tasting and a signature drink. All we can say is “Wow”! This was on par, nay, even better than many of the foodie events hubby and I have attended. Kudos to our own Eve Bushman for co hosting this event with Marlee Lauffer. The bread, delicious by the way was provided by Scott Ervin of Speakeasy fame.

And more from Lori C. – Loved this event Eve! Santa Clarita needs more of them. Loved how each restaurant made a signature dish and drink to pair with it – and what a selection of eateries both old and new. Location and weather were perfect and the white tents, twinkling lights and trees just added to the elegance. Best of all – not a single t shirt or backwards baseball cap in sight! Thank you for making this such a must attend event. Can’t wait to see what you do next year.

Paul de la Cerda – Excellente!

Margo B. – Great event, well organized, very fun!

Scott E. – What a wonderful event. Can’t wait for next year. Thanks to all of the organizers. *dropsflatonbackfromexhaustion*…Good time all night, but things definitely took a turn for the better after “someone” brought me a special glass of scotch, followed by our neighbors, Salt Creek Grille, handing over some wasabi stuffed, bacon wrapped grilled shrimp in BBQ sauce. Yeah, definitely better… My favorite moment was watching Larry, Larry From Yelp, dance The Macarena.

Shari S. – What a fun night! Thanks for hosting such an organized and unique fundraiser!

Mitch R. – Very proud to be a sponsor and on the organizing committee. Great event for a great cause!

Pam I. – This was a great event. Nice to see so many “new” faces. You were able to pull a different crowd. Food and cocktails were amazing! Janine Jones on the dance floor got the crowd going. Can’t wait until next year!

Jamee B. – Amy and team – kuddos for days!

Danise D. – A sold out crowd under the stars. It was terrific…I had a blast! Glad to be a part of it!

Tamar H. – Best event of the year!

Scott C. – We had a Fabulous time. Great Atmosphere (really, the parking lot was a great idea) Great Vendors, Well Organized, and a great crowd and vibe. There was a great variety of food and the cocktails were delicious. Sign us up for the next one!

Louise C. – There was a red carpet??? Hahaha more bourbon pleeeease.

Cindy H. – A blast!

Carin C. – Good party vibe...Fantastic evening of fine cocktails, good food and visiting with some good friends and meeting new ones. Eve Bushman, what a tour de force! It was good to finally meet you.

Alex H. – Cocktails on the roof was sooo fun! We had a blast!

Margo B. – Fun fundraising event.

Maureen M. – What a perfect evening for Cocktails on the Roof, which raised money for Wish Foundation, (William S. Hart School District). It was so nice to see so many of our friends there! Great job, Marlee and Eve!

Theresa H. – A wonderful inaugural event at Cocktails on the Roof. Thank you Eve!

Jane B. – Had so much fun forgot to take more photos…I didn’t want to leave! If I put this on again (with a photo of her wristband) right now and tap my shoes 3 times, will I end up back on the roof tonight? #cocktailsontheroof #nextdaywantingmore

Lori D. – Great and well organized event. Look forward to the next one!

Gloria M. – …Great event! A fun time was had by all raising funds for our classrooms. Great job by the WiSH Board in bringing a new signature event to the SCV.

Bruce P. – It was awesome event. Really enjoyed it, thank you.

Michael P. – Great event. All involved should be very proud.

(And a different Michael P.) – Thanks Eve, we had a great time, looking forward to next year!

Larry M. – Exceeded my expectations. Number of guests was not too much. Food and drink were all high end…And I discovered several local restaurants that I now have to try based on their offerings last night.

Sandi N. – Great event!

Roland G. – It was a great time, and the vendor offerings were superb!!! The 90 prof Whiskey wasn’t bad either!

Alexander H. – Cocktails on the roof was sooo fun!! We had a blast!!

Kathy W. – It was a very marvelous event Eve. We had a fun time tasting all the mini cocktails & foods & mingling. All for a great cause. Thank you!

Juliet K: We had a great time!

The Wish Education Foundation – Overwhelmed and thrilled by all of the wonderful comments – we are glad you all had a great time at Cocktail on the Roof 2015 – guess what? SO DID WE!!! Keep your pictures posting, we love to see them smile emoticon Participants and sponsors, we hope the joy you brought comes back on you TENfold!

Who Was Seen Creating A Buzz

Marlee Lauffer and Laine Hedwell, Amy Daniels, Claudia Sheridan, Cheryl Gray, John and Adrienne Carlson, Chris and Jeannie Carpenter, Moe, Alex and Linda Hafizi, Arnold Bryant, Paul de la Cerda and Andrea Nelson de la Cerda, Doron Schleifer and Joyce Carson, Robert and Karen Kaplan, Simon and Shannon Mee, Michael and Karen Perlis, Tyler Bushman, Scott and Lori Cruit, Sandi Naba, Gail Pinsker, Bruce and Liz Pack, Scott and Madeline Ervin, Jeannie Wagner, Louise Castaldo, Lynda and Jennifer Chadwick, Dee Dee Jacobson, Greg and Chell Amsler, Diego Lara, Martha Aguilera, Steve and Carla Corn, Diane DeBoer, Don and Cheryl Dellepiane, Robin Allison, Robin Becerra, Kai Ellis, Bruce Fortine and Gloria Mercado-Fortine, Margo Berg, Carmel Farnsworth, Tracy Hauser, Steve Dole, Theresa Hayes, Les Hershberger, Steve and Elizabeth Hopp, Pam Ingram, Dan and Janine Jones, Michael Parks and Dawn Elliott, Shari Schlaman, Tamar House, Tracy Hallinan-Cookson, Cindy Higgins, Ken and Patrice Rifkind, Danise Davis, Jon and Sonya Rowin, Tim Honadel and Holly Schroeder, Pamela Verner, Mitch and Leslie Russell, Mike Lebecki, Jackie Clavon, Kathleen Marquart, Larry and Stephanie McClements, Derrick and Maureen McKaughan, Kirsten Quinn and Perry Smith, Sue Tweddell, Steve and Julie Sturgeon, Lesley Jacobs Solmonson and David Solmonson, Laurie Auger, Steve and Rose Chegwin, Homayoun Daryani, Michele Buttelman, Dana Turner, Lora Taylor, Andrea Vibe, Mark and Julie White, Lisa Johnson, Julie Wolfe, Ed Masterson, Amanda Benson, Richard Soto and Jane Bettencourt-Soto, James Carling and Manuela Zaretti, Alesia Humphries, Jennafer Madden, Yoshi Murakami, Cathy Craig, Alison Needham, Sherrijon Gaspard, Herve Guillard, Kathi Dirkse, Kat Kombrinck, Angela Freeland, Sonja Randall, Laina and Rob McFerren, Patrick Lage, Roland Gonzaga, Rob Cruikshank and Cathie Baker.

Thanks To

Sponsors included the Santa Clarita Magazine, elite magazine, Whole Foods Market, California Credit Union, Balfour Beatty Construction, Littler Mendelson, 24/7 Events, Steve Chegwin CPA, SCVTV, SOS, the Signal, Valley Crest Tree Company, Burrtec and KHTS.

Committee members: Amy Daniels (WiSH Foundation), Marlee Lauffer (host), Eve Bushman (host), Claudia Sheridan, Mitch Russell, Ed Masterson, Judy Penman, Lynne Secrest, Chris Donald, Nicholas Javier and Stacie House.

And all of our hardworking volunteers that signed up for Cocktails on the Roof duty: Cathy Craig, Cheryl Gray, Danise Davis, Ellen Hawthorne, Kat Kombrinck, Keisha Williams, Leonard Leto, Michelle Wagemaker-Dawdy, Pat Willett, Steve Dole, Tori Osburn, Verna Velasquez, Vicki White, Yvette Diaz De Tuesta, Brenda Schaecher, Jackie Clavon, Jennifer Primero, Lorraine Beaulieu, Mark Beaulieu, Matthew Williams, Nicole Williams, Robin Wimsatt, Roland Gonzaga, Tricia Decker and Tyler Bushman.

Story in the photos I barely had time to take can be seen here.

Eve Bushman has been reading, writing, taking coursework and tasting wine for over 20 years. She has obtained a Level Two Intermediate Certification from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust, has been the subject of a 60-minute Wine Immersion video, authored “Wine Etiquette for Everyone” and recently served as a judge for the Long Beach Grand Cru. You can email Eve@EveWine101.com to ask a question about wine or spirits that may be answered in a future column. You can also seek her marketing advice via Eve@EveBushmanConsulting.com

Vintage Beacon October 2010: Assemblyman Cameron Smyth on Wine…and Re-election

July 14, 2015 by evebushman Leave a Comment

Last night while I was on Facebook, I noticed Cameron Smyth was a “Friend on Chat”. I took a wild chance and clicked. We actually chatted for a minute about wine, his re-election and then he suggested I call him.

I was surprised, yet again, at Cameron’s affability. I’ve known him for over 15 years, had lunch with him, interviewed him and usually avoided the subject of politics with him. (Those of you that truly know me know that I don’t like to share my politics, or have others thrust theirs on me. So, if you thought it was going to be that kind of column, forgettaboutit. For those of you that do want to know, yes, he’s looking forward to your support in the November 2 elections.)

I wanted to know about his involvement with the Select Committee on Wine. He said that that the group is not a judiciary, or legislative branch, but more for education, monitoring and the gathering of information to advise legislature. Cameron also remarked that wine had always been a specific interest of his.

He felt that as an urban member for an urban district, it would be educational for him. He even spoke of a recent excursion he took with the committee to Cuba that promoted the California wine industry there.

The Napa chair of the committee, Noreen Evans, has also now become a friend of Cameron’s. That’s Cameron Smyth for you, “Man of the People”, making friends wherever he goes.

He’s now off on recess until the new year and is looking forward to attending some local wine events – whenever he isn’t coaching his son’s soccer teams, and he and his wife, Lena, can get a babysitter. I told him of three upcoming events and he’s hoping to attend at least two.

So, for a Cameron citing you have to go to the Assistance League’s Sunset in the Vineyard on November 7, Single Mother’s Outreach Empowering Hearts on November 13 (Not a wine event but I’m in the writer’s competition for their fundraiser – and this was my phone call after all.) and Valencia Wine Company’s 6^th Annual Holiday Wine Tasting on November 14. (Editor’s note: This is a column from 2010 and though these annual events still exist, please see the links below for the current dates and information.)

Funny, he seemed to know about the events already from all of my Facebook postings…

In closing, I hope you look for the Waldos, and the Smyths, (Two names that decidedly will require wine to fit together) at these events!

http://www.assistanceleague-alsc.org/

http://www.singlemothersoutreach.org/hearts

http://www.valenciawine.com/

Eve Bushman has been reading, writing, taking coursework and tasting wine for over 20 years. She has obtained a Level Two Intermediate Certification from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust, has been the subject of a 60-minute Wine Immersion video, authored “Wine Etiquette for Everyone” and recently served as a guest judge for the L.A. International Wine Competition. You can email Eve@EveWine101.com to ask a question about wine or spirits that may be answered in a future column. You can also seek her marketing advice via Eve@EveBushmanConsulting.com

Save the Date for Cocktails on the Roof (Yours truly is a host!)

May 28, 2015 by evebushman Leave a Comment

“Cocktails on the Roof” SAVE THE DATE: September 18, 2015, 8pm – 11pm

The WiSH Education Foundation has announced its newest fundraising event, “Cocktails on the Rooftop,” to be held on Friday evening, September 18, 2015. On a beautiful autumn evening, join Salt Creek Grille, Newhall Refinery, solita, Wolf Creek Restaurant, Persia, Marstons and others as you sample signature cocktails and food pairings. Inventive lounge seating, greenery, music and lighting transform the space, redefining the skyline of Santa Clarita and creating the type of event to be talked about long after the evening ends.

Hosted by Newhall Land Vice President Marlee Lauffer and Eve Bushman of “Eve’s Wine 101,” the event will be held on a downtown Santa Clarita Rooftop and will benefit the 23,000 students of the Wm. S. Hart School District. Tickets will become available in early August at www.wishscv.org. 21 and over admitted only, please. “Mock”tails will be on hand as well so all are welcome to join us for this most unique event!

Sponsors currently include Westfield Town Center, Whole Foods, California Credit Union and the Magazine of Santa Clarita.

For more information about “Cocktails on the Roof” sponsorships , please visit: www.WiSHscv.org, email: WiSH@hartdistrict.org or call 661.799.WiSH (9474).