Vinexpo America and Drinks America Plan A Joint Debut In New York, March 9-10, 2022

May 23, 2021 by evebushman

Where the wine and spirits world meets in America: Vinexpo America and Drinks America plan a joint debut in New York, March 9-10, 2022

PORTLAND, Maine – Diversified Communications and Vinexposium has announced two co-located events—Vinexpo America and Drinks America—that will reunite the beverage alcohol industry in person, under one roof, in 2022. The trade-only expos will be held March 9-10, 2022, in the new Hall 3 at New York City’s Jacob K. Javits Convention Center. Together, they promise to attract top buyers and decision makers from across North America, the largest and fast-growing beverage-alcohol-consuming market in the world.

Vinexpo America is a repositioning of the former Vinexpo New York, which for three years served as the premier international exhibition for wine and spirits professionals in North America before a 2021 pause due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In its new form, Vinexpo America will focus exclusively on wines, with representation from all of the world’s top-producing regions.

Drinks America is a brand-new expo created in response to a forecasted continuing rise in consumption of spirits and ready-to-drink beverages. It will feature a wide array of spirits, beer and sake from producers across the globe as well as beverage alcohol accessories and services.

Both events will provide U.S. and Canadian buyers access to new and established brands that are looking to expand distribution, network and meet with existing customers in North America. From conferences to master classes, two full days of educational programming will address issues relevant to both the wine and spirits worlds.

For attendees, Vinexpo America | Drinks America offers the advantage of one registration for full access to both shows’ exhibits, programming and events—a great value that also optimizes efficiency as they can meet with producers from around the world in one location over two days.

Exhibitors will benefit from visibility to all buyers, decision makers and influencers from both events, plus unlimited free guest invitations. A new business matchmaking service will facilitate one-to-one meetings during the two-day exhibition.

“We’re excited to renew our partnership with Vinexposium and come back to New York in 2022 with a brand-new, greatly enhanced offering,” said Mary Larkin, president of Diversified Communications USA. “Bringing together Vinexpo America and Drinks America in a single meeting place will enable us to serve the entire U.S. wine and spirits communities—an especially welcome opportunity after the COVID-19 pandemic forced the cancellation of the industry’s major exhibitions in 2021.”

“The launch of our events in the United States in 2022 is designed to coincide with the resumption of trade between Europe and the USA. Under a new name, Vinexpo America aims to embrace the entire North American market, alongside Drinks America. It has become crucial to offer our customers a comprehensive business platform that matches the scale of the American continent and includes spirits, craft drinks and beers alongside wine,” stresses Rodolphe Lameyse, CEO of Vinexposium.

More information regarding the 2022 event will be announced in the coming months.

About Vinexposium

Owned jointly by Comexposium and Vinexpo Holding, Vinexposium is the world’s leading organiser of wine and spirits trade events. Vinexposium offers an enhanced range of high-performance events, tailored to different market segments, with a portfolio of iconic and recognised events: Wine Paris & Vinexpo Paris, WOW! Meetings, Vinexpo America & Drinks America, Vinexpo Hong Kong, WBWE Asia, Vinexpo Bordeaux, Vinexpo Shanghai and WBWE Amsterdam, as well as Vinexpo Explorer and World Wine Meetings.

About Diversified Communications

Diversified Communications is a leading international media company with a portfolio of face-to-face exhibitions and conferences, online communities, and digital and print publications. As producers of these market-leading products, Diversified Communications connects, educates, and strengthens business communities in over 15 industries including: renewable energy, healthcare, natural and organic, food and beverage, and technology. Established in 1949 and headquartered in Portland, Maine, USA, with divisions and offices around the world, Diversified Communications remains a privately held, third-generation, family-owned business. For more information, visit www.divcom.com

Clarion Events Food & Beverage Group Offers Reinvented Live Events

May 20, 2021 by evebushman

Trumbull, CT – Clarion Events Food & Beverage Group, trade show producers of several leading restaurant and foodservice industry events, is thrilled to announce that the Western Foodservice & Hospitality Expo and Florida Restaurant & Lodging Show will both be taking place as scheduled in August and September 2021, respectively. Free registration will be made available to qualified foodservice professionals. Registration for both events will open in June.

“While the restaurant and hospitality industry has been hit hard by the global pandemic, we are thrilled to see the light at the end of the tunnel and make plans to bring the industry together in both Anaheim and Orlando,” said Tom Loughran, Vice President for the Clarion Events Food & Beverage Group. “As a way for us to support the industry we are picking up the check and offering free registration to all qualified foodservice professionals who will have access to our new education program offering five Summits as well as to the trade show floor which will showcase industry vendors and aisles of new products and services.”

Based on attendee and market feedback, the five new Educational Summits will feature content focused specifically on the needs of: Independent Restaurateurs, Small to Mid-Sized Chains, Retail, Contract Foodservice, and Technology at each of the events. Each of the Summits will focus on similar topics, geared toward the particular segment they represent. Some themes include social media and marketing, human resources, leasing and development, financing and accounting, operations, and technology. For more information, visit www.westernfoodexpo.com/education-tracks.

Additionally, there will be COVID-specific focused sessions to show what opportunities there are for rebirth and growth that can come from such a challenging time. These sessions will focus on Re-evaluating Leasing and Negotiating Contracts, Post-COVID Opportunities and Franchising and Growth Strategies. The events will also offer operator-focused education providing peer learning from those operating restaurants daily. Attendees will also hear from industry-thought leaders and consultants who can provide firsthand knowledge and insight.

The trade shows will also feature many of the special events attendees have come to expect including Center Stage Culinary Demonstrations, the Torch and Beacon Award Presentations, as well as panels of industry thought-leaders and C-Suite executives. Rapid Fire and Hip Sip Competitions with local chefs and bartenders and Beverage Focused panel with members of the ‘Bar Rescue’ Team are also being planned. For information on participating in these events, contact Lauren Selman, Conference Manager at lauren.selman@ifbta.org.

The live trade shows and education programming will take place at the Western Foodservice & Hospitality Expo, August 22-24, 2021 at the Anaheim Convention Center, CA; and The Florida Restaurant & Lodging Show taking place September 19-20, 2021 at the Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, FL.

Clarion Events (https://clarionevents.com/) produces 37 events across 13 sectors of both trade and consumer events. The Food & Beverage Group includes the International Restaurant & Foodservice Show of New York, The Western Foodservice & Hospitality Expo, the Florida Restaurant & Lodging Show, Healthy Food Expo, CoffeeFest and The NGA Show. Clarion Events, backed by The Blackstone Group, has become one of the fastest growing event companies in the U.S. with aggressive growth through both acquisition and launch. Clarion acquired PennWell in early 2018, bringing 4 Tradeshow 200 events into the U.S. portfolio and super-charging the already rapid growth. Clarion Events has offices in Trumbull, CT; Kennesaw, GA; Boca Raton, FL; Tacoma, WA, and Fairlawn, NJ.

Vintage Eve Circa Jan 2018, “Wine 101: The Demise of the Dinner Party”

August 25, 2020 by evebushman

Cruising a foodie group on Facebook one member’s query kind of stuck out in my mind. It was something like, “Does anyone do dinner parties anymore?” About half of the comments, if not more, said no. Due to pets, small dining spaces, children, busy schedules and a lack of ideas.

Bushman Kitchen – overlooking our Napa Valley vineyard (We wish!)

That lack of ideas on what to do for a dinner party got my mind racing. I never run out of ideas. Granted we have a kitchen made for entertaining, and a home that has managed events for up to 75 people, but the size of our kitchen isn’t where our dinner party ideas stem from.

It stems from our interests not only in food preparation and presentation, but also with the wine and/or spirits we want to serve to complement our meals.

If we go back a few decades we began as young married couples often do: experimenting in the kitchen. I happened to share my kitchen with a firefighter that was used to cooking for a dozen or more crew members. Hence, we always had too much. (Truth be told this is still a problem!) We had pals that lived close by that were more than willing to come up for a ready made meal, bring wine, and our Thursday Night Dinners began.

Every other week we walked over to see the Andrews, and they came over to our house on the weeks when it was our turn. Eventually other friends got wind of our dinners and they grew – with more couples and more wine than we really wanted to partake in on a week night.

Fast forward to our third home in Awesometown. Our kitchen prep area is probably four or five times greater than the kitchen was in our starter home was. And now we knew that the kitchen was where the action was. Ed had become an excellent cook, as most fire fighters are, and I was happy to be his sous chef.

Now we plan monthly dinner parties, with a rotating set of pals (as we are all so busy everyone is not always free) and still enjoy the menu planning as well as pulling wines from our cellar to pair. Over the years I have also enjoyed hosting meetings for the different events I’m working on, as well as a monthly Brainstormer’s Group – and these are mostly potluck with some kind of wine or spirit tasting I throw in for fun.

These are the different ideas we’ve tried over the years:

We did a large wine event with five different tasting stations where guests moved from room to room, outside to inside, and returned to the kitchen for the final pairing.

Hosted a jam-making class!

The “Buck Bar” idea borrowed from Lesley and David Solmonson’s book “The Twelve Bottle Bar” where guests are prompted to replace the vodka in a Moscow Mule with rye, bourbon or scotch, and the lime with orange or lemon. Just crafting your own cocktail with all the bartender tools is fun!

Pot lucks with everyone bringing one of their prized homemade dishes – can’t ever go wrong with that.

Gin or vodka tastings – those are not so usual – after dining.

After dinner put on a movie like Ferris Bueller’s Day Off that you can talk over.

I’ve done chocolate tastings where I’ve guided guests to go from dark to light, with some wine and port as well, to see how the chocolate flavors develop and change when we study them.

An adult Pinata with tiny plastic booze bottles.

Make friends with restaurant owners – they make you want to up your game!

Play Apples to Apples, or any easy to play game for families, after dinner.

Single malt scotch tastings, with minor pairings like grilled sausage and Snicker bars!

Wine and Junk Food pairing. We like popcorn and sparkling wine and chocolate candy with Zinfandel – with a lot in between. You have to do some experimenting before you plan this one.

After a dinner: blind wine tastings, single varietal tastings, aroma lessons…

So if you were on the fence about planning a fun dinner party I hope this article helped to get your creative juices working. And if you need more assistance, or a really fun guest, you know where to find me!

Eve Bushman has a Level Two Intermediate Certification from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET), a “certification in first globally-recognized course” as an American Wine Specialist ® from the North American Sommelier Association (NASA), Level 1 Sake Award from WSET, was the subject of a 60-minute Wine Immersion video, authored “Wine Etiquette for Everyone” and has served as a judge for the Long Beach Grand Cru. You can email Eve@EveWine101.com to ask a question about wine or spirits.

CELEBRATING THE 10th ANNUAL ULTIMATE WHISKY AND SPIRITS EXPERIENCE -NTH 2020 APRIL 24 – 25, AT WYNN LAS VEGAS

February 3, 2020 by evebushman

The Universal Whisky Experience presents to you the Nth 2020, the World’s Premier Luxury Whisky and Spirits Experience. Hosted at The Wynn Hotel in Las Vegas, this master event showcases the best brands of both whiskies and spirits from all over the world. We are the only event in the world where you get to sample the most premium, rare, unique and expensive whiskies and spirits from all the major houses worldwide.

Celebrating a milestone year with its 10^th Anniversary celebrations at the Wynn Hotel in Las Vegas, you will find an experience to deliciously overwhelm your tasting senses. Indulge in exceptional whisky tasting opportunities, mingle with master distillers, blenders and mixologists and learn more about the whisky and spirits world in the most unique event of its kind.

Universal Whisky Experience and the Nth –founded By Mahesh Patel back in 2011 is excited to bring this event to Wynn Las Vegas as a reflection of the past 10 years and the amazing journey it has been for us all. Showcasing some of the world’s Most Expensive Bottles, Unique Master Classes, Luxurious settings and meeting new great friends. The Nth 2020 Experience will be the start to a new revolution in Whisky and Spirits Tasting around the globe.

Come celebrate with us and walk down memory lane enjoying our Amazing Journey since 2011 –https://universalwhiskyexperience.com/amazing-journey/

The Nth has a reputation for curating unforgettable experiences for whiskey aficionados. “This year we have raised the bar. We have sourced a selection of the world’s most expensive and rare whiskies for tasting. We are also introducing new events, dinners and sessions to the schedule that will truly wow our guests” says Patel.

This years’ experience will include a few surprises:

Start of the Tenth Anniversary Celebration Special Master Classes
High Roller Lounge Featuring the most exclusive super pours for tasting
Showcasing world’s most expensive bottlings from all over the WORLD
Grand Finale with over 200 whiskies and spirits under 1 roof at the Nth Main tasting event

Guests can enjoy a menu of exclusive experiences, including:

The rare “Super Pours” representing whiskies and spirits valued at more than$300 a dram
A stroll-around tasting featuring the world’s most distinguished and coveted whiskies and spirits
Direct access to meet the makers of the best whiskies and spirits in the world with Exclusive New Launches
Wines, Champagne and delicious hors d’oeuvres

Two experience levels are available to purchase:

High Roller Experience –Friday, April 24 – Saturday April 25, 2020

The premium package includes exclusive access to all show events and tastings including: High Roller Lounge featuring exclusive High Roller Super Pours, Private Events with other High Rollers, One-on-one meetings with brand ambassadors, The Nth main tasting event, Master Classes, Dinner Reception, High Roller Gift bag, cigars and more…

Purchase Tickets here:

https://universalwhiskyexperience.com/high-roller-ticket-2020/

Connoisseur Experience – Saturday April 25, 2020

Guests seeking a high-touch experience with a few extra indulgences without going over the top will enjoy the Nth main tasting event, tasting all Whiskies and other Fine spirits, Super pours, hors d’oeuvres, and receive a cut crystal Glencairn tasting glass.

Purchase Tickets here:

https://universalwhiskyexperience.com/connoisseur-experience-ticket-2020/

Martha Stewart, Antoni Porowski and others join USA TODAY Wine & Food Experience Tour 2019

August 7, 2019 by evebushman

McLean, VA – USA TODAY NETWORK Events, part of Gannett Co., Inc. (NYSE: GCI), announces that the USA TODAY Wine & Food Experience 2019 tour with Martha Stewart kicks off Saturday, September 7 in Brooklyn, New York. Additional cities and dates include Detroit, September 14; Indianapolis, September 28; Cincinnati, October 5; Louisville, October 19; Las Vegas, October 26, presented by MGM Resorts International; Scottsdale, November 2 & 3; Los Angeles, November 9; Chicago, November 16; and closing in Naples, November 23.

“This marks the third year for USA TODAY Wine & Food Experience,” said Andy Yost, chief marketing officer for USA TODAY | Gannett. “Our readers already rely on us for authentic, expert content to tell the story of food in our communities and this is brought to life with USA TODAY Wine & Food Experience’s inspiring culinary showcase that connects participating brands with passionate audiences. We’re thrilled to continue to give consumers direct access to talented chefs, restaurateurs, wine and spirit experts and their products.”

USA TODAY Wine & Food Experience is an engaging culinary exploration in each city of the tour where fans and connoisseurs alike taste and celebrate wine and food and see national and regional gourmet leaders at work. These events give sponsors the opportunity to directly and powerfully connect with patrons.

Martha Stewart will appear in Naples, presenting a limited-ticket seminar plus meet and greet, as well as a cooking demonstration for all Grand Tasting guests. In addition, all patrons can enjoy samples from Martha Stewart Wine Co.

Renowned chefs such as The Food Network’s Chopped stars Alex Guarnaschelli and Scott Conant, Netflix Queer Eye star Antoni Porowski are special guests on the tour. Brie and Nikki Bella, also known as The Bella Twins of WWE fame and stars of reality TV show Total Bellas on E!, join the tour with their Belle Radici wine brand. Global wine authorities include SommSelect cofounder Ian Cauble, among only 274 Master Sommeliers worldwide and star of Netflix docufilm “SOMM,” and David Lynch, sommelier, two-time James Beard Award recipient and editorial director, SommSelect. Guarnaschelli will appear in Brooklyn, Detroit, Scottsdale, Indianapolis and Louisville. Conant will be a special guest in Cincinnati, Los Angeles and Chicago. Porowski will be a special guest in Brooklyn Scottsdale, Los Angeles and Chicago. The Bella Twins and Cauble and Lynch appear in all 10 tour stops. Special guest chefs for Las Vegas will be announced in the coming months.

Central to each USA TODAY Wine & Food Experience is the Grand Tasting, a flavorful exploration of special chef recipes, wines, craft beers and spirits with diverse gourmet personalities and restaurateurs. Grand Tasting and VIP Grand Tasting tickets include access to a schedule of cooking demonstrations and wine seminars; VIP tickets add early entry and a special lounge with exclusive drinks and bites. In addition, limited-ticket seminars and meet and greets are available with special guest chefs Stewart, Guarnaschelli, Conant, Porowski and others, and sell out quickly.

Tickets are available at WineandFood.USATODAY.com/ Early ticket purchase is recommended as most USA TODAY Wine & Food Experience events sold out in 2018. Consumers and participating brands can engage with USA TODAY Wine & Food Experience on social media via #WFE and @usatodaywinefood.

R Entertainment of Scottsdale, Ariz., which co-developed and produced Scottsdale-based azcentral Wine & Food Experience in 2015, produces the national series in conjunction with USA TODAY.

Sponsorship or participation opportunities are available by contacting Todd Wienke, TWienke@usatoday.com or Mike O’Donnell, mikeod@r-entertainment.com.

Artisan Cheese & Craft Beer in Vermont’s Lake Champlain Region This August

July 8, 2019 by evebushman

NEW YORK (PRWEB) – Curd nerds and growler geeks can now find fulfillment as they travel with Cheese Journeys on its inaugural adventure to northwestern Vermont, August 8-13, 2019, to some of America’s favorite creameries and breweries, including award-winning Jasper Hill Farms & Cellars and the “Best Brewery in the World,” Hill Farmstead Brewery. The journey will aptly include an exclusive experience at the 11th annual Vermont Cheesemakers Festival at historic Shelburne Farms on August 11, 2019.

Officially kicking off the tour in the city of Burlington, food trippers will enjoy a convivial signature cocktail featuring a local spirit and brew, followed by a short introduction to food photography before heading to a leisurely dinner at one of the city’s best restaurants.

The next day travelers head to Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom to visit renowned Jasper Hill Farm, one of America’s most innovative and successful artisan cheese businesses. An exclusive visit to the creamery with founders and brothers, Andy and Mateo Kehler, will not only include tasting some of the most prized cheeses in the US and abroad, but will also provide an opportunity to learn about their philosophy of cheesemaking, affinage, and sustainability. A stop at Jasper Hill’s Randi Albert Calderwood Cropping Center, the Farm’s state-of-the-art hay drying facility which allows the company to produce much of their herd’s own feed, contributing to the true taste of Jasper Hill’s products, underscores the meaning of “terroir.”

A behind-the-scenes tour of the Burlington Farmers Market will offer an overview of many of Vermont’s best artisan producers of cheese, meats, cider, and even veggie fermenters. Mad River Distillers and Lake Champlain Chocolates are just two of the several specialty food makers that will be visited. During an exclusive Vermont Cheesemakers Dinner, including cheesemakers (naturally) and the director of the Vermont Cheese Council, Tom Bivens, guests will learn about the Vermont cheese scene in more depth.

At the 11th annual Vermont Cheesemakers Festival, idyllically located on the shores of Lake Champlain, travelers will enjoy VIP admittance as they meet up with nearly fifty cheesmakers as well as local wine, craft beer, and numerous other food and beverage purveyors in attendance. Presentations about farmstead and artisan cheesemaking, cooking demos, workshops, and educational seminars are all awaiting at the festival.

A return to Shelburne Farms with a cheese-tasting and tour of the grounds, as well as a stop at Shelburne Vineyards to enjoy their award-wining wines will add to the appreciation of this region’s agricultural heritage and diversification.

Finally, no cheese venture to Vermont would be complete without a stop at Vermont Creamery, one of the country’s best-known goat dairies. Company president, Adeline Druart, will reveal how co-founders, Allison Hooper and Bob Reese, developed their highly-acclaimed fresh and aged goat cheeses, cultured butter, and other European-style dairy products 35 years ago.

Cheese Journeys founder, Anna Juhl, will lead this adventure throught the back country of Vermont, accompanied by two co-hosts: Tenaya Darlington, author and academian who goes by ‘Madame Fromage,’ and Jeff Roberts, author and one of Vermont’s food-scene experts. Believing in the importance of cheese education, Curds & Co (Brookline, MA), The Cheese Shop (Concord, MA), and Fairfield Cheese Company (Fairfield, CT) are collaborating with Cheese Journeys on this trip. FREE travel to and from Burlington, VT is available at each of these three locations.

Charles Krug Winery and the Napa Valley Film Festival Team Up Again for Sunset Cinema 2019

July 3, 2019 by evebushman

Napa, California (PRWEB) – Charles Krug Winery (https://www.charleskrug.com/), Napa Valley’s oldest winery and home to California’s first tasting room, is excited to announce its renewed collaboration with the Napa Valley Film Festival (https://www.napavalleyfilmfest.org/) to produce Sunset Cinema 2019 (https://sunsetcinema2019.eventbrite.com), a summer film series with screenings in July, August and September. The renowned estate will host the series on their expansive Great Lawn with the Napa Valley Film Festival curating three award-winning films from last year’s festival. The films will screen at sunset on the third Friday of each month, and attendees will be able to enjoy the balmy Napa Valley summer nights with signature Charles Krug wines, gourmet pizzas and live music prior to each screening.

A continued leader and innovator in Napa Valley hospitality, the Sunset Cinema Series is part of ongoing efforts by Charles Krug to act as a hub for cultural activities in the region. “At Charles Krug we are always working to integrate new cultural events that serve the Napa Valley community”, comments co-proprietor Peter Mondavi Jr. “By hosting the Sunset Cinema Series we are able to extend the warm hospitality we are known for even further.”

“Charles Krug Winery has been an incredible partner of the Napa Valley Film Festival since 2016. Through our partnership, the winery has presented several legendary actor awards, hosted many memorable Vintner Circle Dinners, and each year transforms their historic Carriage House into one of the festival’s most unique screening venues. Audience members have been known to camp out at Charles Krug during the festival, watching films and sipping on their incredible wines all week long. We’re elated to partner with Charles Krug to extend that opportunity to the community year-round at the 2nd annual Sunset Cinema film series,” said NVFF Experience Director Fearon DeWeese.

In its second year, the Sunset Cinema Series is primed for continued success with a diverse line-up of past festival favorites on the docket. The series kicks off on Friday, July 19th at sunset on the Charles Krug lawn with a screening of Pick of The Litter. The feature documentary follows a group of puppies on their two-year quest to become guide dogs. Directors Dana Nachman and Don Hardy introduce viewers to a group of adorable canine characters along with their human counterparts. The film acts as a reminder of the remarkable relationship between us and man’s best friend.

Scheduled to screen on August 16th is Cold Brook. The drama, directed by William Fichtner, follows best friends Ted and George. The two ordinary maintenance workers from a small town in Upstate New York go about their daily routine when they spot a mysterious intruder. After some investigating, the intruder turns out to be more than meets the eye. Cold Brook is praised as a truly heartwarming story that viewers of all ages will appreciate and enjoy.

The series concludes on September 20th with Summer ‘03. In the midst of a family crisis, 16-year-old Jamie, played by Joey King, wades through the difficult waters of her love life. Gritty, honest and relatable, the coming-of-age comedy was met with rave reviews by critics and is the perfect book end to the Sunset Cinema Series. Director Becca Gleason, will be on had to answer audience questions in a post film Q&A session.

Prior to each screening, guests can enjoy the wine and culinary offerings Charles Krug is known for accompanied by live music.

For more information on the Sunset Cinema Series, visit (https://sunsetcinema2019.eventbrite.com).
Follow the Sunset Cinema conversation @charleskrugwinery @napafilmfest and #nvffsunsetcinema

About Charles Krug:
In 1943 Italian immigrants Cesare and Rosa Mondavi purchased the historic Charles Krug property the oldest winery in the Napa Valley and longest-running tasting room in California. The brand was built on a foundation of family values, hard work and a European winemaking tradition; it remains a family-owned winery today, producing estate-driven, top of the line Napa Valley wanes. The wineries are under the direction of Peter Mondavi Jr. and Marc Mondavi, who steward the family business passed to them by their father, legendary Napa Valley wine icon Peter Mondavi Sr. The family is now proudly welcoming members of the fourth generation to the business, continuing a legacy started over 70 years ago and setting a foundation for generations to come. For additional information, please visit https://www.charleskrug.com/.

About the Napa Valley Film Festival:
The Napa Valley Film Festival (NVFF) is a 5-day celebration that blends the art of film, food, and wine together. Discover the best new independent films of the year, savor exquisite cuisine paired with legendary wines, and create lasting memories found only in the Napa Valley. The Napa Valley Film Festival is presented by Cinema Napa Valley, a registered 501c3 non-profit organization headquartered in Napa, California. Cinema Napa Valley’s mission is to celebrate the cinematic arts and enrich the community by presenting an annual world-class festival and year-round education and outreach programs. The Napa Valley Film Festival takes place November 13-17, 2019. Visit https://www.napavalleyfilmfest.org/ for more information on passes and festival events.

2019 Filoli Summer Nights Schedule Announced

June 20, 2019 by evebushman

WOODSIDE, Calif. (PRWEB) – Filoli Historic House and Garden, a site of the National Trust for Historic Preservation and one of the last country estates reminiscent of the Gilded Age, is proud to announce the 2019 edition of its Summer Nights series.

Summer Nights are increasingly popular among Filoli’s guests. Only last year, nearly 300 guests every Thursday enjoyed themed evenings with special events, music, and activities for the whole family. All activities are included with admission, and some require advance registration.

“We are very excited to announce the third edition of our Summer Nights series, a now awaited season for our visitors to enjoy extended hours and experience the Summer like nowhere else in the Bay Area. This is also an excellent way for our members to bring a guest for free to experience Filoli during the evenings. At the same time, Summer Nights is also an opportunity for us to bring new and exciting programming to our growing and more diverse audience,” said Kara Newport, Chief Executive Officer for Filoli.

The 2019 Summer Nights take place on Thursdays through August 29. During this time, the House and Garden remain open to the public during extended hours, from 5:00pm to 8:00pm, a beautiful time to visit the gardens. Filoli offers special programming for all guests and exclusive activities for members. Every night is themed differently, so a visit every Thursday is highly encouraged to take advantage of the wide array of activities that Filoli offers during this series.

Members enjoy activities planned exclusively for them every night, including posy making, honey and fruit tastings, aromatherapy lotion making, among others. Hikes and tours include: architecture tours, access to the second floor of the House, rose and orchard tours, sunset hikes and bird walks. Exclusively for members, Filoli’s popular greenhouses are also open on select evenings. The Quail’s Nest Cafe will remain open on Thursdays during Summer Nights.

For more information on Filoli Summer Nights schedule of events, please visit: https://www.filoli.org/summernights, or contact Marijose Alvarado, Filoli Marketing Manager at (650) 364-8300 Ext. 235 or via e-mail at: marketing(at)filoli(dot)org.

Ticket & Membership Information
For more information or to purchase tickets for the Summer Nights special workshops, please visit: https://filoli.org/summernights/ or call the Filoli Tickets Office at 650-364-8300. Tickets may also be purchased via email: tickets(at)filoli(dot)org. Interested in becoming a member at Filoli and getting free access to some of the events and special programming listed above? Visit https://filoli.org/membership/ for more information.

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About Filoli
Located in Woodside, CA, Filoli boasts 654 acres of historic beauty nestled along the slopes of California’s coastal range. The historic property features a 54,000+ square foot Georgian revival style mansion, 16 acres of exquisite English Renaissance gardens, a 6.8-acre Gentleman’s Orchard, and a nature preserve with over 7 miles of hiking trails. Established as a private residence in 1917, Filoli was open to the public in 1976 as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and site of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Filoli is dedicated to the preservation and stewardship of the cultural traditions and is considered one of the finest remaining country estates of the 20th century. For more information about Filoli, visit https://filoli.org/.

Address:
Filoli Historic House and Garden
86 Cañada Road
Woodside, CA 94062

Visit Temecula Valley Announces New Offerings

March 14, 2018 by evebushman

Temecula Valley, CA (PRWEB) – 2018 aims to be a banner year for Temecula Valley Southern California Wine Country with growth, expansion, openings, and new beginnings hitting the scene throughout the region. In 2018, visitors to Temecula Valley will have the option to dine at new restaurants, stay at new and newly remodeled hotels, know the secret password to enjoy access to local speakeasies, take new brewery tours, sip exclusive varietals at premier tasting rooms, and enjoy world-class live entertainment.

New for 2018: Hotels and Hotel Renovations

Pechanga Resort and Casino finalizes its $285 million expansion this spring, with an exciting new lobby, additional meeting space, an entire 568 room wing of AAA Four-Diamond rooms and suites, luxury 25,000 square foot spa and additional 4 ½ acre pool complex with lagoon, swim-up bar and waterslides, doubling down on the already award-winning resort.

Embassy Suites by Hilton Temecula Valley Wine Country also recently completed its own multi-million dollar renovation of suites and meeting spaces, while Best Western Plus will finish building its first property location, complete with upgraded amenities in an upscale setting, in Temecula, set to open this year.

New for 2018: Wineries, Brewery Tours and Speakeasies

Temecula Valley’s wine and brewery scene will receive a substantial amount of growth in 2018.

From The Winery Hopper Facebook page.

On the wine and vineyard front, Akash Winery, featuring a selection of zinfandels, cabernet sauvignons, roses, and petit sirahs, is set to open this year while Wilson Creek Winery recently began its Upper Room Tasting Experience, an exclusive guided tour of reserve wines paired with small bites and appetizers prepared by their Executive Chef. Sweet Oaks Ranch, home to a premier equestrian riding facility, will soon open Sweet Oaks Winery, which will also feature live entertainment. The new Wine Cave Tour by Aall in Limo includes dining at a Temecula Valley restaurant, a Wine Cave tour at Oak Mountain Winery with wine tasting, and transportation is included. The Winery Hopper is also a brand new company that offers drop off and pick up to all the wineries; advance reservations are not required and hop-on, hop-off schedules make wine tasting a breeze. Winery tours are now being offered by air with Air Temecula. Both helicopter and airplane tours can take visitors to wineries in the highest style.

Hip, new speakeasies opened in Old Town this year, including Thompson & Twain, located between Crush & Brew and Espadin in Old and The Apparition Room, located next to Devilicious Eatery in Old Town. But don’t tell anyone we told you.

New brewery tours will be offered in 2018, including a new Brewery Tour at Karl Strauss, offered both weekdays and weekends. The tour takes visitors into the 7 BBL facility, showcases the stages of brewing process, history, and equipment; tours include a tasting flight. Brewery Tours are also now available in Temecula Valley from outside vendors including Aaal in Limo, Temecula Winery Transportation , Little Bus Tours, and Grapeline. Visitors won’t want to miss Craft Beer Month featuring specials, events, and activities at Temecula breweries throughout the month of May.

New for 2018: Restaurants

Temecula will welcome a handful of new restaurants this year to add to their culinary collection. Espadín Mezcal + Cocina, which recently opened its doors in Old Town Temecula, features a menu that highlights several regions in Mexico with authentic ingredients and food always made from scratch.

The Restaurant at Leoness Cellars recently reopened after a multi-million dollar expansion which will add space (both indoor and out) as well as updated amenities for the popular restaurant, rated #1 winery restaurant by USA Today’s 10 Best Reader’s Choice and Best Restaurant in the Inland Empire for four consecutive years. Their seasonal selections, created by Executive Chef Daragh Matheson, are prepared from scratch in the kitchen daily.

New for 2018: Festivals, Events, & Services

The inaugural Temecula Blues Festival will take to the streets of Old Town Temecula this April, showcasing local, regional, and national artists. A Vendor Blues Village will complement the event with food, beer, wine, and merchandise.

2017’s last minute Western Days will be showcased this coming year, back by popular demand. The event will feature a gunfighters shoot-out at high noon, street vendors, and plenty of family activities.

Temecula Lavender Company, a popular artisan gift store in Old Town, will begin hosting Farm Tours this June that allow visitors to explore the Lavender fields before harvest.

For visitors traveling to and from Temecula, Temecula Air Shuttle is a new service that provides transportation from all major airports to Temecula Valley.

The Alpaca Hacienda and Temecula Valley Alpacas both offer unique farm tours for groups and individuals wishing to learn about and even interact with alpacas. Advance reservations are required.

Vail Headquarters, originally founded in 1867, is the site of the newest hip and happening scene to settle in Temecula. With specialty shops, boutique stores, and living history festivals and activities offered weekly, Vail Headquarters is a great spot for family-friendly entertainment and dining.

About Visit Temecula Valley

Visit Temecula Valley is the region’s official tourism marketing organization and an online resource for visitors at VisitTemeculaValley.com. Temecula Valley Visitors Center is located in Old Town Temecula (Third Street and Mercedes). For visitor information and assistance, call (888) 363-2852 or (951) 491-6085.

ItzFun App and Web Tells Users Where “It’s Fun” at Any Moment

February 18, 2018 by evebushman

PALO ALTO, Calif. (PRWEB) – VenueLytics, provider of the only fully integrated customer experience & venue management platform, today announced the availability of “ItzFun” consumer solution via Mobile App, Web & Desktop. ItzFun is a real-time personalized digital concierge service for consumers with premium mobile services like VIP bottle and table reservations, food and beverage orders, guest list, party packages, fast pass, events & ticketing, deals and even private event booking.

“ItzFun Web & Mobile App currently has over 75,000 venues and thousands of active users. Venues can claim their page and/or list their business for free and choose to offer premium services across multiple channels,” said Baskar Manivannan, co-founder and CEO of VenueLytics.
Consumers using ItzFun digital concierge services can:

Discover venues by category: restaurants, casinos, bars, clubs, lounges, resorts, golf, stadiums, karaoke, wineries and bowling alleys
Get real-time information about venues, like crowd population, gender ratio, bottle/table and private event booking availability.
Use mobile order and pay at participating venues.
“Skip the line” to avoid waiting at featured and supported venues
Get updates about games, tournaments, and leagues at venues like casino and bowling
Gain access to real-time deals and offers (e.g. $2 shots for ladies until 10pm)
Get up-to-the-minute news on upcoming events including performing artists
Track lost and found
Arrange for valet parking, ride sharing, cab services, and locate my car feature
Have real-time interaction with venues, promoters, hosts and artists
See visuals on VIP bottle/table service floor maps and private halls before booking
Crowd source your experience at the venue
Invite and share with friends

CURRENTLY AVAILABLE IN: Las Vegas, San Francisco, San Jose, San Diego, New York, Hollywood, Los Angeles, Baltimore, Boston, Miami, Austin, Washington DC, Chicago, New Orleans, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Atlantic City, Palo Alto, Seattle, Portland, Houston, Atlanta, Dallas, Mountain View, Livermore, Sacramento, Oakland, Cupertino, Sunnyvale,, Redwood City, Oakland, Santa Cruz, Walnut Creek, Los Gatos, Berkeley, Long Beach and various parts of Bay Area, with more locations from Canada, South America, and Asia being added daily.

About VenueLytics
Through its venue management and entertainment platform, VenueLytics helps bars, nightclubs, restaurants, casinos, hotels, and others in hospitality increase traffic and revenue by automating services and providing analytics that enable customers to find, order, and manage services on their own mobile device. For more information, visit: http://www.venuelytics.com.

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