Stu and the Kids Announces 2017 Fundraiser at Vibiana on July 30

July 17, 2017 by evebushman Leave a Comment

A Thai flavored Food & Wine Festival hosted by Chef Stuart Skversky and his chef friends who will create dishes for the 4^thannual Stu and the Kids Fundraiser on Sunday, July 30. Proceeds will fund scholarships for Hill Tribe kids in Chaing Mai, Thailand.

Stu and the Kids 2016 – photo credit Erik Fisher

Participating chefs for this year’s event include Hosts Neal and Amy Fraser, Vibiana; Brooke Willamson and Nick Roberts, Playa Provisions; Walter Manzke, République; Eric Klein and Connor Shanahan, Wolfgang Puck Catering; Shirley Chung, Steamer’s Co. Raw Bar & Bowl of Hug; Gilberto Cetina, Chicken Itza; Matt Lee, Restaurant 917; Kris Yenbamroong, Night+Market; Jason Neroni from The Rose Café; Akasha Richmond, AKASHA and AR cucina; Sherry Yard, The Tuck Room; Warren and Rose Schwartz, Magpies Softserve; Jason Fullilove, Barbara Jean’s; Tetsu Yahagi,Spago Beverly Hills; Roxana Jullapat, Friends & Family; Gavin Mills, Miro; Joel Miller, The Wallace; Carlos Enriquez;Bakers Kneaded; Matt Dixon, Division 3; Gilberto Cetina, Chichen Itza; Food Network Celebrity Chef Jet Tila and special guest Rocco Whalen of Fahrenheit who will be flying in from Cleveland, Ohio with his team. Other chefs to be announced.

Other participating restaurants include 71 Above; Bar Alma; Chadaka Thai; and Jitlada (complete list of participating chefs and restaurants below).

Beverages will be plentiful, featuring the Stu and The Kids popular fresh Coconut Bar and Herb + Orchard water infusions. The Bodega Wine Bar will offer Santa Monica Brew Works beer and a great selection of beverages for a summer afternoon. Wines will be provided by Youngs Market, including sparkling wine and cider. Thanks to a generous donation from Tito’s Handmade Vodka, the festival will showcase a Thai-inspired cocktail mixed with Austin’s favorite spirit.

In 2009, Stuart Skversky, a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America and a rising- star chef, made a dramatic life change by giving up a promising chef career in Los Angeles to move to Chiang Mai, becoming a full-time volunteer at the Wat Dan Chan (a local Buddhist temple), teaching local children English, cooking and baking. Recognizing a need to help prepare these high-risk Hill Tribe kids following their graduation, he founded Stu and the Kids to better prepare them for adulthood, helping them get into a university or technical college and giving them the tools for an independent future. Proceeds from this event go directly to the children’s education, school uniforms, supplies, housing, food and tuition for higher education. Now in their ninth year of fundraising throughout the world, Stu and the Kids has raised over $300,000 for the charity, including last year’s astounding record of $110,000 accumulated from the LA festival, fundraising on the east coast and online donations during 2016. Stu and the Kids supervise seventeen kids, including fifteen who have earned four-year scholarships to university and a seven and fourteen-year-old that is supported with rent and food due to family hardship. The charity hopes to increase the awards to twelve four-year university scholarships in the coming year.

During the evening there will be an educational presentation and activities for all ages, including a vivid display of Northern Thai umbrellas and lanterns from the Tourism Authority of Thailand and performances of Thai music and dancing. The silent auction benefiting Stu and the Kids will include photos of locations in Chiang Mai, Thailand, hand-made Hill Tribe bags and silver jewelry, gift certificates, gift baskets, autographed cookbooks and a month of yoga classes.

The incomparable Billy Harris, celebrity charity auctioneer and host of Hanging with Harris will lead the live auction with several spectacular experiences:

An exclusive 4 night, 5 day trip to Thailand to meet the kids and enjoy the beauty and flavors of Chiang Mai.
2 tickets to the two hour finale and live reunion show for Survivor: Heroes v Healers v Hustlers.This also includes an exclusive, fun luncheon with the Survivor players where the winner can meet, chat and take photos. Winner of the auction will also participate in some Survivor challenges that will be set up on the CBS lot. This once in a lifetime afternoon for the diehard Survivor fan is tentatively scheduled for Dec 20th, 2018 at CBS in Los Angeles. Dates might fluctuate slightly.
Dinner for eight guests at The Rogue Experience, Wolfgang Puck’s experimental Test Kitchen at the Pacific Design Center. A one-of-a-kind full dining experience valued at $5000.
Dinner for four at Vespertine by Jordan Kahn, valued at $1000.

Hours are 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Tickets are $125 General Admission, $195 for VIP Admission and $25 for children 6-12. To purchase tickets, visit StuandtheKidsTickets
Sunday, July 30, 2017, 4 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. for VIP tickets

General Admission: $125

VIP Admission: $195; early admission at 3:30 p.m. including a meet and greet with Chef Jet Tila, the Culinary Ambassador to Thailand and of the Food Network fame. Includes a personalized autographed copy of Chef Tila’s new cookbook, “101 Asian Dishes You Need To Cook Before You Die.”

Kids tickets: $25 for kids 6-12
Tickets for general admission, VIP admission and kids may be purchased online: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/stu-and-his-friends-a-thai-style-food-festival-to-support-stu-and-the-kids-tickets-33984327037

Vibiana, 214 South Main Street | Los Angeles, California 90012

ABOUT STU AND THE KIDS:

Stu and The Kids is a 501c3, tax-exempt nonprofit organization that provides scholarships for orphaned and underserved Hill Tribe children for continuing their education in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

For further information on Stu and the Kids, visit www.stuandthekids.org

Become a fan on Facebook: www.facebook.com/stuandthekids

Follow Stu and the Kids on Twitter and Instagram at @stuandthekids

****

Participating Chefs

Presenting Chef and Culinary Ambassador to Thailand – Chef Jet Tila

Gilberto Cetina

Shirley Chung

Neal and Amy Fraser

Jason Fullilove

Eric Klein and Connor Shanahan

Jason Neroni

Warren and Rose Schwartz

Rocco Whalen

Brooke Willamson and Nick Roberts

Sherry Yard

Tetsu Yahagi

Kris Yenbamroong

Participating Restaurants

71 Above

Akasha

AR cucina

Bar Alma

Barbara Jean

Broken Spanish

Chadaka Thai

Chichen Itza

Division 3

Fahrenheit (Cleveland, Ohio)

Friends & Family

Jitlada

Magpies Softserve

Miro

Night+Market

Pastry Lab

Patina Catering

Playa Provisions

Redbird and Vibiana

République

Restaurant 917 at the Porches Experience

Savore Catering

Sinners & Saints

Spago Beverly Hills

Steamer’s Company, Raw Bar and Bowl of Hug

Tender Greens

The Ensaymada Project

The Olive Pit

The Rose Café

The Tuck Room

The Wallace

Wolfgang Puck Catering

Sponsors

6 Degrees LA

Behind the DJ Booth

Chef Spoons

Chefs to End Hunger

Erik Fisher Photography

LA & SF Specialty

Sustainable Works

The Bouqs.com

Tito’s Handmade Vodka

Tourism Authority of Thailand

Vibiana

Wolfgang Puck Catering

Young’s Market Company

L.A. Loves Alex’s Lemonade Culinary Cookout is Back Again for an 8th Year on 9/9!

July 12, 2017 by evebushman Leave a Comment

LOS ANGELES, CA —L.A. Loves Alex’s Lemonade, hosted by Chef Suzanne Goin, partner Caroline Styne (Lucques, A.O.C.,Tavern) along with Chef David Lentz (The Hungry Cat), returns to UCLA’s Royce Quad on Saturday, September 9, 2017 from 12 – 4pm for its eighth highly-anticipated event. Goin, Styne and Lentz have again enlisted the support and generosity of their culinary friends around the country who will donate their time and services to raise funds and awareness for Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation (ALSF) in their quest to find better treatments and cures for all kids with cancer. The Presenting Sponsors for the cookout are Northwestern Mutual and Volvo Cars of North America.

L.A. Loves Alex’s Lemonade – 2016 Participants | ©Alex Berliner/ABImages

Featuring fantastic food, wine and cocktails prepared by the nation’s best chefs, winemakers and mixologists, L.A. Loves Alex’s Lemonade is an afternoon of fantastic fare, cocktails for a cause, children’s activities, silent and live auctions, and much more. The 2017 event is guaranteed to surpass the aspirations of previous years with returning chefs Chris Bianco, Giada De Laurentiis, Donald Link, Mary Sue Milliken, April Bloomfield, Nancy Silverton, Nancy Oakes, Zach Pollack, Michael Voltaggio, Jonathan Waxman and Marc Vetri coming together to cook for childhood cancer cures (for a current list, see page 3). More chefs will be announced in the coming months, as well as leading vintners and mixologists from around the country.

Pricing for General Admission tickets is $195, and L.A. Loves Alex’s Lemonade offers a $1,200 premier ticket level that includes early access to the event, a behind the scenes tour of the venue and VIP seating as well as an exclusive invite to the private and intimate Welcome Dinner the evening before, on Friday, September 8. In the spirit of the culinary cookout, children under the age of 12 are free with accompanying adult, and do not need to register for the event.

For complete listings of participants and to purchase tickets for this year’s event visit the ALSF website. All proceeds will benefit the Foundation.

L.A. supporters enthusiastically responded with huge turnouts in the first seven years, sampling signature dishes of world renowned chefs and reaching over $4.2 million in sponsorship, ticket and auction sales to date. In addition to the generous backing of the community, prominent personalities from the entertainment industry – long time attendee Jimmy Kimmel, Lena Dunham, Laura Dern, Joe Mantegna,Timothy Olyphant, Kirsten Vangsness and others – have become champions to the cause.

More than 2,000 people, including more than 100 chefs, mixologists and vintners, attended the 2016 event, which raised over $1 million. Those in attendance heard an inspiring speech by Jay & Liz Scott, Alex’s parents, and co-executive directors of Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation, and hero family and SuperSibs Dario and Emilio, who lost their brother to cancer and highlighting the importance of how one individual can make a difference.

“What we’ve accomplished in seven years is so gratifying. It’s a tremendous amount of work to produce, but the rewards of knowing that the money we’ve raised truly helps research for better treatments and cures makes it worthwhile,” said Caroline Styne. “There are so many people that come together to make this happen; they work tirelessly to come up with ideas to make this year’s celebration better than the one before. And we do this because Alex Scott’s legacy inspires us to rise to the challenge.”

“The L.A. Loves Alex’s Lemonade event continues to be one of the most inspiring, and not to mention delicious, events of the year benefiting Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation,” said Liz Scott, Alex’s mom and Co-Executive Director of the Foundation. “We have been continually amazed by the dedication of Suzanne, Caroline and David to help achieve our daughter’s mission – a cure for all kids with cancer, as well as the outpouring of support from their friends who travel from all corners of the country to participate in this important fundraising event.”

For information on how to become a sponsor, contact Anita Gates at Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation, (610) 649-3034 orA.Gates@alexslemonade.org.

Become a fan of L.A. Loves Alex’s Lemonade on Facebook: www.facebook.com/ALSFCulinaryEvents Follow on Twitter and Instagram: @LALovesAlexs

About Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation

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 volunteers across the country carrying on her legacy of hope. To date, Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation, a registered 501(c)3 charity, has raised more than $140 million toward fulfilling Alex’s dream of finding a cure, funding over 690 pediatric cancer research projects nationally.

Partial List of Participating Chefs
Nick Anderer (New York, NY) – Maialino
Chris Bianco (Phoenix, AZ) – Pizzeria Bianco
April Bloomfield (New York, NY) – The Spotted Pig, The Breslin
Michael Cimarusti (Los Angeles, CA) – Providence
Josiah Citrin (Los Angeles, CA) – Melisse
Derek Dammann (Montreal, QC, Canada) – Maison Publique
Sue Feniger and Mary Sue Milliken (Los Angeles, CA) – Border Grill
Michael Fiorelli (Los Angeles, CA) – Love & Salt
Neal Fraser (Los Angeles, CA) – Redbird
Evan Funke (Venice, CA) – Felix Trattoria
Ray Garcia (Los Angeles, CA) – Broken Spanish
Suzanne Goin, Javier Espinoza, Amy Deaderick, Adam Cherney(Los Angeles, CA) – Lucques, a.o.c., Tavern
Hedy Goldsmith (Los Angeles, CA) – Sweet Hedy
Valerie Gordon (Los Angeles, CA) – Valerie Confections
Cosmo Goss (Chicago, IL) – The Publican
Timothy Hollingsworth (Los Angeles, CA) – Otium, Barrel & Ashes
Bruce Kalman (Los Angeles, CA) – Union, Knead Pasta + Co.
Sara Kramer and Sarah Hymenson (Los Angeles, CA) – Madcapra, Kismet
Giada De Laurentiis (Las Vegas, NV) – Giada
David LeFevre (Manhattan Beach, CA) – Manhattan Beach Post,

Fishing with Dynamite
David Lentz (Los Angeles, CA) – The Hungry Cat
Donald Link (New Orleans, LA) – Pêche, Herbsaint, Cochon, Cochon Butcher
Jenn Louis (Portland, OR) – Ray
Walter and Margarita Manzke (Los Angeles, CA) – Republique
Ori Menashe (Los Angeles, CA) – Bestia
Matt Molina (Los Angeles, CA) – Everson Royce Bar
Dahlia Narvaez (Los Angeles, CA) – Mozza Restaurant Group
Zoe Nathan (Los Angeles, CA) – Huckleberry
Nancy Oakes (San Francisco, CA) – Boulevard
Eva Ein (Santa Barbara, CA) – McConnell’s Fine Ice Creams
Chris Phelps and Zak Walters (Los Angeles, CA) – Salt’s Cure
Zachary Pollack (Los Angeles, CA) – Alimento
Steve Samson (Los Angeles, CA) – Sotto, Rossoblu
Michael Schwartz (Miami, FL) – The Genuine Hospitality Group, Fi’Lia
Jon Shook and Vinny Dotolo (Los Angeles, CA) – Animal Restaurant Group
Nancy Silverton (Los Angeles, CA) – Mozza Restaurant Group
Frank Stitt (Birmingham, AL) – Highlands Bar & Grill, Bottega, Chez Fonfon
John Sundstrom (Seattle, WA) – Lark, Bitter/Raw, Slab Sandwiches & Pie
Shannon Swindle (Los Angeles, CA) – Craft
Marc Vetri and Jeff Michaud (Philadelphia, PA) – Pizzeria Vetri
Michael Voltaggio (Los Angeles, CA) – ink.
Jonathan Waxman (New York, NY) – Barbuto
Rocco Whalen (Cleveland, OH) – Fahrenheit
Jason Winters (Los Angeles, CA) – Urban Pie

***All chefs and vintners have graciously donated their time, food and talent to the cause for this event***

HALL WINES RAISES RECORD-BREAKING $80,000 FOR LOCAL CHARITIES AT 8th ANNUAL HALL CABERNET COOKOFF

July 10, 2017 by evebushman Leave a Comment

NAPA VALLEY, CA – On Saturday, April 29th, over 750 wine and food enthusiasts came together on the great lawn at HALL Wines in St. Helena to raise a record $80,000 for local charities at the 8th Annual Cabernet Cookoff. Fourteen chefs from Bay Area restaurants teamed up with local non-profits of their choice to create the best dish to pair with HALLs 2013 Coeur Cabernet Sauvignon, voted on by a panel of celebrity judges and the attendees of the event. This years record breaking amount raised brings HALLs Cabernet Cookoff 8-year fundraising total to over $400,000.

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Photo credit: Hall Facebook page.

”Our team continues to be amazed each year that such talent, both in the participating chefs and judges, clear their very busy schedules to help us raise money for the community,” says Vintner Kathryn Walt Hall. ”We are beyond thankful to everyone involved – sponsors, volunteers, and attendees – for helping us raise a record amount of money for these amazing charities.”

Four celebrity judges participated in this years cookoff, including chef Duff Goldman of Food Networks Ace of Cakes, wine critic Virginie Boone of Wine Enthusiast, Michelin-rated chef Ken Frank of La Toque, and 12-time Olympic Medalist in swimming Natalie Coughlin. They were tasked with choosing a first place winner and runner-up from dishes such as Harris Ranchs Coffee Marinated Angus Hanger Steak with popcorn infused butter and Brix Restaurants Sonoma Duck Terrine with a black truffle praline tart.

This years fierce competition was documented in a short film. The 7-minute documentary follows three chefs, including Mark Dommen of One Market in San Francisco, Jen Biesty of Shakewell Restaurant in Oakland, and Brandon Watts of Bounty Hunter in Napa, as they compete against one another – and 11 other chefs to be named the best chef of the day and win for their charity. Released on June 6^th, the film can be viewed here: http://www.hallwines.com/visit/special-events/cabernetcookoff

Chef Mark Dommen took home the Judges Choice first place medal for an unprecedented fourth time with his Liberty Farms Duck Risotto with smoked Gizzards, peas, and crispy duck skin, while chef Daniel Capra of Paula LeDuc Fine Catering was runner-up with his Urfa Pepper braised veal cheeks, shrimp grits, and sour cherry veal jus. Dommens charity of choice, Collabria Care of Napa, and Capras St. Helena Hospital were each awarded over $9,000.

Attendees were also given the opportunity to vote for their favorite dishes in the Peoples Choice Award competition. First place Peoples Choice winner was Chef Michael Wong of Intercontinental Mark Hopkins in San Francisco with his Braised Oxtail Asada with pickled cucumber, avocado puree and queso fresco. The runner-up, with Steak Frites: charred hanger steak with crispy potato rosti, salsa verde, and aged balsamic, was Chef Jeremy Zimmerman of The Patriot Restaurant in Carmichael, CA. Their charities, Grace Cathedral of San Francisco and Food Literacy Center of Sacramento, respectively, were also awarded over $9,000. Proceeds of ticket sales and 15% of purchases of select wines sold throughout the event were donated to all participating charities.

For more information and winning recipes from this years event, please visit HALL Wines at www.hallwines.com. The 9th Annual HALL Cabernet Cookoff will take place on Saturday, April 29th, 2018. Tickets are available now at www.hallwines.com.

ABOUT HALL:

HALL produces critically acclaimed artisan Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, available to taste and buy at two tasting rooms and winery locations in Napa Valley. Owned by Craig and Kathryn Walt Hall, its vineyard collection features seven estate vineyards, of which five are California Certified Organic (CCOF) estates. Each vintage, Director of Winemaking Steve Leveque crafts distinct, Napa Valley-style Cabernet Sauvignon wines which demonstrate the unique characteristics and diversity of Napa Valley. HALLs highly rated wines include two 100pt scores given by Robert Parker for its 2013 Rainin Vineyard Cabernet and its 2010 Exzellenz. HALL also earned the #2 spot in Wine Spectators Top 100 for its 2008 Kathryn Hall Cabernet Sauvignon. Since the first vintage in 2002, over 180 HALL wines have been rated 90 points and above. HALL employs high-density plantings and small vine viticulture combined with two cutting edge, gravity-flow wineries to produce the highest quality wines. The HALL St. Helena winery was the first LEED® Gold Certified Winery in the State of California in 2009 and earned another LEED® Gold certification for its high tech production facility and Tasting Room in 2014. Each of HALLs state-of-the-art winemaking facilities and tasting rooms combine modern art and architecture matched with spectacular settings. HALLs partner winery, WALT, known for producing premier Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from distinctive vineyards, is located in Sonoma, California. For more information, please visit www.hallwines.com, @hallwines, or by calling 707.967.2626.

Cocktails On The Roof PRE-PARTY Announcement!

July 7, 2017 by evebushman Leave a Comment

The Location of This Year’s #CocktailsOnTheRoof Pre-Party will be at The Oaks Grille Inside TPC Valencia!

SANTA CLARITA VALLEY – On August 17 The Oaks Grille at TPC Valencia is welcoming guests for a mini Cocktails on the Roof Pre Party – with many of the same attractions that will be at the main event on August 25.

From 5pm until 10pm guests can enjoy a no-cover charge event, happy hour prices, bartender lessons, the same “DJ MAV” from the main event, dancing under the stars and the uncontested best view of the Santa Clarita Valley! A percentage of the evening’s sales will be donated to the WiSH Education Foundation, a local non-profit that serves local public education in the Hart School District.

Troy Hooper, General Manager at TPC Valencia; Eve Bushman of Eve’s Wine 101 and Eve Bushman Consulting; Marlee Lauffer, President of Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital Foundation; WiSH Executive Director Amy Daniels as well as the Cocktails on the Roof Committee and the entire Wish Board host the evening. (Look for them enjoying the party but also there to answer questions about the main event – and sell tickets!)

“So thrilled that Troy agreed to hear my lengthy pitch to host our pre-party fundraiser, giving us everything on our ‘WiSH list’” began Eve Bushman “We can’t wait to welcome guests to one of the best restaurants in the Santa Clarita Valley. And of course The Oaks Grille will have a table at our main event, Cocktails on The Roof.”

“TPC Valencia is proud to be a part of such a great event for an important cause like the WiSH Education Foundation. We are excited to invite the community to this Pre Party and hope it creates even more awareness for the cause.” Troy Hooper said. Marlee Lauffer added, “It’s fitting we hold this year’s pre-party at TPC Valencia/Oaks Grille as they have been part of the event’s success from the beginning. COTR is all about showcasing our local businesses, having fun and, most importantly, supporting our schools. We appreciate all of WiSH’s donors and we look forward to promoting ticket sales and awareness at this fun sneak peek event!”

This year marks the third year of the Cocktails on the Roof event, and the fourth year of fundraising collaborations between Eve Bushman, Marlee Lauffer and the Wish Education Foundation – representing thousands of dollars raised for our local student programs.

To learn more about the WiSh Education Foundation: www.WiSHscv.org

To see what’s “happening on the roof” and purchase tickets check out: www.cocktailsontheroofscv.org

Vintage Eve Circa 10/2013: The SCV Press Club Wine Tasting Fundraiser

July 4, 2017 by evebushman Leave a Comment

I attended a wine tasting fundraiser last week on the patio at Salt Creek Grille Valencia that benefitted the Santa Clarita Valley Press Club, which strives to raise money to help the six high schools’ journalism programs in our valley.

Event organizer, Michele Buttelman, the Executive Editor at EverythingSCV.com, graciously greeted the guests as they arrived. We, in turn, said our hellos to other pals there to support the cause, and lingered over the wine and appetizers generously donated by Southern Wine and Spirits and Salt Creek Grille.

Once glasses and plates had been filled, more than once, Buttelman stood up and explained more about the SCV Press Club. She said that the club had given $11,000 in grants toward our schools’ newspapers, however, some teachers were still supplementing the needs – from their own wallets – to also purchase textbooks, software and computers.

Then Buttelman introduced some of her supporters, and gave each an opportunity to talk about their own non-profit endeavors. We heard from Kris Hough (pronounced Huff) about the upcoming Soroptimist International of Greater SCV’s Annual Wine Affair. Hough prompted us to purchase our tickets, visit all 12 venues and get a taxi ride home!

Then came musician David Ewart, whose name may be familiar to some after he was burned in a fire, along with his son and father, during the holidays back in 2005. He mentioned that his son had been writing for Hart High’s Smoke Signal newspaper. After losing their home to the fire, $11,000 was donated by kids in the high school for their “downed journalist.” Ewart came to this event to help get the word out about the SCV press club and how they give back to the community. It was nice to see him in person and also hear about his fundraising for the Santa Clarita Master Chorale.

Then came our lead speaker, Ralph Frammolino.

About Ralph Frammolino

Author Ralph Frammolino was part of the Los Angeles Times team that won the Pulitzer Prize for Spot Reporting of the Northridge Earthquake. Frammolino also co-wrote “Chasing Aphrodite: The Hunt for Looted Antiquities in the World’s Museums” with author Jason Felch. The book was awarded the California Book Award, the SAFE Beacon Award and the ARCA Award for Art Crime Scholarship. In 2006, Frammolino and Felch were finalists for the Pulitzer Prize in Investigative Reporting for exposing the role of the J. Paul Getty Museum and other American museums in the black market for looted antiquities. (The Press Club auctioned off a signed copy of Chasing Aphrodite at the event.)

Frammolino spoke about his time as an SCV resident and he took the Metrolink to work in downtown Los Angeles. When he got on the train in the morning, he was the “liberal” heading to work at the Los Angeles Times. When he arrived, he was known as the “conservative” who lived in Santa Clarita. The lesson: “Context really matters.” So it does with journalism itself. It’s not enough to put what someone says in the paper, you have to know the motivation of the sources…

Frammolino also talked about how, as an author, he learned to be sensitive to the impact journalists make on people’s lives. When he first reported on the scandal at the Getty Museum over looted antiquities, the stories damaged the reputations of many museum officials and caused the firing of the Getty antiquities curator. After deciding to write a book about the scandal, Frammolino and Felch had to contact the people again and ask if they would be willing to be interviewed. It was a humbling experience. But, “luckily most agreed.”

Frammolino most recently was what he called a “media missionary,” a media consultant who lived in South Asia for four years and worked for USAID and the World Bank International. He said he learned that one cannot just impose an American definition of journalism on reporters and editors in other cultures. The definition of “investigative” reporting, for instance, is different in India. Even basic things, like getting comment from all parties named in a story, can be difficult. He recalled how after giving one seminar in Dhaka, Bangladesh, one of the attendees went back to work in the rural countryside. A week later, he called the city desk. “Do you really want me to get the other side of the story?” he asked the editor. Why, the editor asked. “Because he’s chasing me with a machete!”

Frammolino went on to suggest that these reporters he had worked with needed insurance to get the job done – which made him feel a new “level of respect” for them. It’s “tribal” in other societies, he said, as they could only really trust their own family members.

Frammolino has since become a crisis communication consultant and media strategist with G.F.BUNTING+CO. He works in Southern California

Seen

Bella Shaw, Eric Harnish, Bob Hudson, Kris Hough, Michele Buttelman, Ralph Frammolino, Steve and Rose Chegwin, Mike Lebecki, Jennifer Chadwick, Greg Amsler, Russ Briley, Maureen Daniels, Lila Littlejohn, Craig Leener, Holly Schroeder, Ronda Thompson-Chobanian, Jim Ventress and several others.

About the SCV Press Club

The Santa Clarita Valley Press Club was founded in 1996 to help promote and preserve the values and spirit of the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States of America. The SCV Press Club is a non-profit 501(c) (3) organization.

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.