You catch a bus that takes you to music row and the most historic place in Nashville Studio B. There were so many major hits that were recorded there I get emotional just thinking about it. But of course the most famous is the King himself. Our tour was very Elvis driven. Down to the configuration of the colored overhead lights in the studio. You just felt like you were a part of history when you are there, it’s something everyone should experience in their lifetime, especially if you are a fan of music, or in the music business.
Information about Studio B:
RCA Studio B was a music recording studio built in 1956 in Nashville, Tennessee by RCA Victor. Originally known simply as “RCA Studios,” Studio B, along with the larger and later RCA Studio A became known in the 1960s for being an essential factor to the development of the musical production style and sound engineering technique known as the Nashville Sound. In the two decades the studio was in operation, RCA Studio B produced 60 percent of the Billboard magazine’s Country chart hits.[1] The studio closed in 1977.
The studio is located centrally in the Nashville’s historic Music Row district. Since 1992 the studio has been under the ownership of the Country Music Hall of Fame, which offers scheduled tours of the facilities.
After years of using portable equipment to record projects in various recording facilities around Nashville, in 1954 Steve Sholes and Chet Atkins established RCA Victor’s first Nashville recording facility within the Methodist Television Radio & Film Commission building at 1525 McGavock Street.[2][3][4] In January, 1956, Sholes and Atkins produced a session with Elvis Presley, during which he recorded the song that would become his first Heartbreak Hotel, gold record and the biggest-selling single of 1956.
In 1977, the studio was made available to the Country Music Hall of Fame for tours, and in 1992 it was donated to the Country Music Hall of Fame by the late Dan Maddox. Until 2001, it was operated as an attraction when the new home for the Hall of Fame was built in downtown Nashville. From 2001 to 2011 the studio was co-operated by the Country Music Hall of Fame and Belmont University‘s Mike Curb College of Entertainment and Music Business program, which utilized the studio to teach students basic techniques of analog recording.[11]
Pisco Sour, their presentation is as good as it gets and the flavor is truly sweet and sour yet very drinkable. There were other cocktails presented to me, but this is the one to celebrate and order. I was also given some lovely wines to sample; they have a good wine list.
Appetizers:
Pisco 305 Ceviche, A platter of fish ceviche with 3 sauces, tradicional, creamy rocoto, and Aji Amarillo. Done 3 different ways, with 3 different sauces, just spectacular
Papa A La Huancaina Boiled potato covered in delicious cream milk, cheese, and Peruvian yellow pepper Huancaina sauce. This is a very popular Peruvian dish and it does not disappoint.
Grilled Octopus Tender pieces of grilled octopus, marinated with Anitcuchera smoky sauce, fries, Criolla sauce, and 305 Aji Amarillo Chimichurri sauce. I just loved this very popular dish, the octopus is so tender and the seasonings are out of this world.
Mains:
Filet Mignon Anticucho Selected pieces of Filet Mignon laying in a spicy Panca marinated sauce skewered with wild sugar cane, grilled to a high temperature. It is served like a tower, with 3 skewers piled high with delicious flavorful meat, a true staple and a dish you must order!
Peruvian Seafood Rice, Peruvian style yellow rice with fresh seafood and aromatic lobster, Oji Amarillo, and a touch of Parmesan cheese. The flavor is very comforting, the seafood is fresh and tender, another dish my readers need to order.
Steak Saltado, soft pieces of steak with fresh tomatoes, onions, cilantro, secret oyster sauce, sautéed in a smoky hot Cantonese wok, served over fries and white rice. The influence of this yummy main dish is Asian, but with Peruvian spices, go figure. Creative, delicious, for the steak lover I would try this.
For Dessert – I was served 2 gorgeous powdered sugar cookies with a rich caramel filling, so fantastic.
Owners Nestor Arce and Martin Perez have struck gold. There is no way that this fine Peruvian restaurant will not become the go to spot in this area. They have been opened for 6 months but both partners come from restaurant and hotel backgrounds mostly in the Miami area. It is a great business marriage of two like-minded restaurateurs, and the food is guaranteed to take you to another place of pure goodness.
The interior is super fun and colorful, the perfect backdrop for what is about to come, an explosion of wonderful flavors in your mouth.
What a treat, bathed in all things Peruvian, Pisco 305 is a must have. When in Tennessee it is totally worth a trip, I highly recommend.
Linda and Darrel Bengsons are just the sweetest people you would ever want to meet, and staying in their gorgeous Tudor styled home was just what the doctor ordered. Linda told me that their house was on the market to sell, but I didn’t realize how special it was for me to be able to stay there before their charming bed and breakfast is just a memory, I was so happy to have had the chance to share in their generous bounty.
Linda and Darrell have been hands-on working, managing, and living as innkeepers of Daisy Hill Bed and Breakfast ever since purchasing the property. They have shared their lives with their guests for over 20 years. They are very much involved in their Hillsboro West End Neighborhood Association as well as the vibrant city, state and National Hotel Lodging Associations. Darrell’s professional hotel and tourism background has helped prepare them for their new careers as Innkeepers.
Hillsboro West End Neighborhood has a variety of homes with several styles of architecture. One of those homes being the very popular Tudor Revival Craftsman style, which was very popular in the early 20th century until about 1945. This house was built in 1925, it was the first house on its side of the street with the further set back line. It has many nooks and crannies, as well as some unique features. As one guest described the house when she first saw it, “a fairytale looking house”. Daisy Hill Bed and Breakfast is a located in the middle of the most-trendy residential neighborhood in Nashville.
The breakfast were so delicious. Darrel made a waffle with a sugar crust on the outside, that was topped with fresh fruit and whipped cream, along side a tasty chicken sausage. The next day it was a fluffy omelet made by Linda, full of veggies, a delicious filling way to start my very active day in Nashville. Their house was designed with lots of heavy wooded furniture, a big huge dining room table and a very user-friendly piano in the living room. Most of the people staying at the Bed and Breakfast were super friendly and have their own remarkable stories. The couple I met, has a sailboat, an RV, and motorcycles. They were super active even though they both had been retired for a bit. They gave me hope in the fact that life can be exciting and active at any age. My room had a TV with two separate bedrooms, and very comfortable beds. It was quiet and very relaxing; for sure a place where you could get lots of rest. I just loved their hospitality and comfort. Daisy Hill Bed and Breakfast is a place that anyone would call home away from home, it’s just wonderful.
Franklin Tennessee is where all of the big time superstars call home. Tim McGraw and Faith Hill the superstar country duo, has lived in Tennessee for 17 years. Other artists like Wynonna Judd, Naomi Judd, Kristin Cavallari and Jay Cutler, DeMarco Murray, Brad Paisley, Carrie Underwood, and Ronnie Dunn, live near by as well.
Superstars live in other parts near Nashville as well. Kelly Clarkson. The former “American Idol” star and current host of “The Voice” has been living in Tennessee with her family since 2013, and other ones like, Taylor Swift, Dolly Parton, Miley Cyrus, Justin Timberlake, Keith Urban and Nicole Kidman, Amy Grant and Vince Gill, Reba McEntire, Miranda Lambert, Martina McBride, and Jack White. In any case you can totally understand why these celebrities live in Nashville, it is beautiful, very friendly, majestic wooded areas, just everything you would want in a place to call home. The night was a bit warm, but you could tell that the temperatures were about to drop very rapidly.
On Wine Down Main Street, starting at the corner of Fourth and Main, and the Franklin Public Square. You’re seeing lots of locals, everyone is country casual, but very tailored. All the women with super expensive designer bags. I just noticed a casual elegance with everyone I saw in the streets on this night in Franklin. I was so blessed, I saw this event on a Nashville events website and I called Bethany Underwood of Lipman Bros Wines, no relation to Carrie. Lipman Brothers, Nashville’s oldest and largest distributor of wine and spirits, is the official wine sponsor. Bethany works as a wine distributor and she really hooked me up. As you walk down 4 city blocks that are all closed off to any traffic, you can taste many different restaurants and many of the retail stores had wine tasting tables inside as well. You get a wristband for the price of admission, which allows you to eat and drink till your heart’s content. There was a VIP area in The Franklin Theater, as well as plenty of live entertainment. I was able to go enjoy the food and drink and listen to live music in the comfort of an indoor venue. Sponsored by The Boys and Girls Clubs of Middle Tennessee, I can see why everyone wanted to be part of this fantastic good time. This was just the perfect night for me to experience old time charm and get introduced to Tennessee’s abundant hospitality, while shopping, tasting, listening to music and drinking great wines, just the perfect travel starter for me!
Live Music included: Elecoustic Soul, Gale Mayes, Brauni, and Carly Moffa.
Celebrity Chef – While at tasting station, Olivia Olive Oil meet Celebrity Chef Cindy Chambers, who will be creating special tasting dishes with Olivia Olive oils and balsamic vinegars! Chef Cindy has instructed for companies such as Whole Foods Market, Wild Oats Natural Market Place, Viking Culinary Arts Center, and Inspired Chef, a division of Kitchen Aid. Her food styling & TV credits include internationally aired infomercials, TV shows such as the nationally syndicated daytime TV talk show “Pickler & Ben”, ABC’s daytime talk and food-centric show “The Chew”; GAC’s “Celebrity Kitchen”; Scripps/Shop at Home Network’s “Cook’s Corner” and local shows such as WTVF’s “Talk of the Town”; WZTV’s “Fox & Friends” & WSMV’s “More at Midday”.
What a great way to start my adventure in Nashville and beyond!!
* Note some Content was taken off of their website.
I watched this building going up, so when I got the invite I was so pleased. This is a monumental time for The Academy and all of its member and non-members. The museum is a gorgeous show place for movies, museumgoers, historians, and aficionados, just about everyone. It all takes place in the Fairfax District in the old May Company building, what more could you want.
Here are some of the areas, places of interest, and architectural wonders of The Academy Museum: Disney Company Piazza, Barbra Streisand Bridge, Sidney Pottier Grand Lobby, Gerry Schwartz and Heather Reisman Terrace, David Geffen Theater, Dolby Family Terrace, Tea Room and Wilshire Terrace, and Tedd Mann Terrace. For me my happy place was walking over The Barbra Streisand Bridge to Neverland AKA Dolby Family Terrace. The views are amazing and I was just so happy to finally be standing on what I saw being built, really astounding.
Some of the exhibits included: Stories of Cinema, backdrop, an invisible art, The Oscars Experience, The Path to Cinema, Highlights from the Richard Blazer Collection, Hayao Miyazaki, Regeneration – Black Cinema 1898 – 1971. I have to say that my favorite fun experiences are getting an Oscar and having it videotaped in The Oscar Experience. I also just loved seeing The Wizard of Oz exhibit – with the original ruby red slippers, and Spike Lee’s own collection was very exhilarating as well.
Located in the landmarked and newly restored Wilshire May Company building (now the Saban Building), their 300,000-square-foot museum features more than 50,000 square feet of gallery space, two film and performance theaters, dynamic indoor/outdoor event spaces, and the spectacular rooftop Dolby Family Terrace with magnificent views of the Hollywood Hills—an elegant setting to host both intimate and high-profile special events.
Academy Museum of Motion Pictures is the largest museum in the United States devoted to the arts, sciences, and artists of moviemaking. Global in outlook and grounded in the unparalleled collections and expertise of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the Academy Museum offers exceptional exhibitions and programs that illuminate the world of cinema. They are immersive and dynamic and tell the many stories of the movies—their art, technology, artists, history, and social impact—through a variety of diverse and engaging voices. The Academy Museum will tell complete stories of moviemaking—celebratory, educational, and sometimes critical or uncomfortable. Designed by Pritzker Prize—winning architect Renzo Piano, the Academy Museum’s seven floors feature exhibition spaces, education and special event spaces, a conservation studio, a café, and a museum store. In addition, the museum’s 1,000-seat David Geffen Theater and 288-seat Ted Mann Theater will present a year-round calendar of screenings, film series, member programs, panel discussions, family programs, and symposia. Programs will include retrospectives and thematic series that illuminate the artistic and cultural contributions of an international selection of movie artists. Every decision made at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures reflects a carefully crafted set of guiding principles that begins with the Mission Statement. These extend into the design of its exhibitions, the development of its public and educational programs, the creation of its publications, the hiring and growth of its staff, and the development of its board of trustees and committees. You must also visit their store, Academy Museum Store located in the Sidney Poitier Grand Lobby. A nice membership perk: museum members receive a 10% discount year-round and a special 20% discount during seasonal member shopping days. On this amazing day, lucky invitees enjoyed the Museums hosted lunch and drinks, which were done by many of our local Hispanic restaurants, all so tasty and delightful. Los Angeles has some truly fantastic cultural experiences; this one is at the top of my list. It is just a must see! Academy Museum 6067 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90036 (323) 930-3000 Hours: Sunday to Thursday: 10am–6pm Friday to Saturday: 10am-8pm https://www.academymuseum.org/en/calendar academymuseumstore.org. #AcademyMuseum.
* Note Some Content Was Taken Off Of Their Website
The Harris Brothers always put on a great gift suite, and this past one for the Emmy’s did not disappoint. I think everyone was so happy to be out and about, getting lovely gifts and celebrating TV’s biggest night.
These were the vendors represented:
Donna Leah Designs, Archery Jewelry, Anna Nicole Smith by Pol’ Atteu & Patrik Simpson, Heysocal.com, Sabre Pepper Spray, The Cookie Dip, Olive Oil Pantry, That’s Catchy, Ungun, Asili, Mona Listen – Shana Schoone, La Casa Del Camino, Prinandsauceyboutique, Cleopatra’s garden, Southern Girl Desserts, House of Orange, Facial Lounge, Glamore4u, La Monique Cosmetics, That’s Catchy, Absenthia, Reign, Mood Oil, Indian Healing Clay, Optimal Rush, Facial Lounge, Euphoria Jewelz and Beauty.
Such a great way to spend the day, with lots of old friends and new ones; all with the same focus…Emmy’s, Emmy’s, and Emmy’s.
I went to these services in 2019 and was so happy with my experience; it was a really lovely service. The stage is just amazing; far better than being in an actual temple. For me Yom Kippur is the only one real day being Jewish that I get to go to Temple and pray. This year happened to be extremely bittersweet seeing that my beautiful Mom, Lois Jackson Cohen went off to heaven on May 5, 2021. So many of my friends knew my Mom, she was attached to me at the hip and vice versa. She went many times to the Temple of The Arts when it was at Beverly Hills High School. So on this day participating in their Yizkor Service was a must. I cried the whole hour, but the music and singing really made the service complete. I am totally obsessed with Cantor Jordan Bennett who sang the Yiddish Folk Song, “Mameleh” written by Mitchell Parish, Alex Alstone and Al Goodhart, with Yiddish by Miriam Kresyn. Jordan Bennett who sang the song “Bring Him Home” from “Les Misérables” with music by Claude-Michel Schönberg and French lyrics by Alain Boublil and Jean-Marc Natel and English lyrics by Herbert Kretzmer and James Fenton. His voice hits so many octaves and ranges, it’s just breathtaking, a fine actor and singer from a musical theater background. Cantor Ilysia J. Pierce sang the song “Dance With My Father” written by Luther Vandross and Richard Marx, and then Rabbi Baron shared with us a very special poem. For me all was very heartfelt and healing!
About Temple of The Arts of Beverly Hills and Yom Kippur:
For Yom Kippur – The Holiest Day Of The Jewish Year, a time for fasting and forgiveness. High Holy Day services were held on the Eve of Yom Kippur (Kol Nidre) on Wednesday, September 15, 2021 (5782) starting at 8:00 p.m., and on Thursday, September 16, 2021 (5782) starting at 10:00 a.m., including a Yizkor Memorial Service
High Holy Day Services were conducted in the Winnick Family
Auditorium on the ornate Harold Kapelovitz bimah, which included
tapestry recreation of legendary artist, Marc Chagall,
entitled “The Journey of the People.” The Beverly Hills Temple of the
Arts at the Saban Theatre is now celebrating the close of its 29th
Anniversary. The temple was founded and
incorporated on November 5, 1992. The mission of the Beverly Hills
Temple of the Arts at the Saban Theatre is to promote religion
through music, drama, arts, film and dance.
RABBI DAVID BARON, Founder of the Beverly Hills Temple of the Arts, the largest arts and entertainment synagogue in the United States which owns the Saban Theatre. Rabbi Baron said, “My guests have incredible stories of perseverance and resilience. Each of their stories exemplifies the strength of the human spirit, which can serve as examples to enlighten all of us. At this season of repentance and introspection, it is of vital importance to bring awareness globally. We can learn important life lessons from these inspirational and motivational messages.”
Masih Alinejad said, “I am honored Rabbi David Baron of the Beverly
Hills Temple of the Arts at the Saban Theatre invited me to
participate in his High Holy Day services for Yom Kippur, the most
sacred day of the year for Jewish people around the world. I am
grateful for the opportunity the Rabbi is giving me to discuss the
importance of human rights, Iranian rights and women’s rights.
Mona Golabek said, “I am deeply honored to perform on the sacred
day of Yom Kippur as part of the services from the Temple of the
Arts. This great synagogue celebrates the power of the arts and
inspires us to triumph over our greatest challenges. A personal thank
you to Rabbi Baron for his gracious invitation, affording me the
opportunity to share a personal story of resilience and humanity
through music.”
More About Rabbi David Baron’s Guests:
Mona Golabek is the daughter of Lisa Jura, a child piano prodigy born in Vienna, Austria, who came to England as a refugee in 1938 as part of the Kindertransport (Children’s Transport) rescue operation. Her father, Michel Golabek, was a French resistance fighter, who received the Croix de Guerre. Mona Golabek’s grandparents died at Auschwitz.
Mona Golabek, deeply inspired by her mother, Lisa Jura’s story, remembers her mother telling her the precious last words her grandmother, Malka, said to her at the Kindertransport train station, before they were separated: “Lisa, hold on to your music. It will be your friend and I will be with you always through the music.” Mona Golabek herself studied the piano with her mother and is herself a Concert Pianist and Recording Artist who has performed with major conductors and orchestras worldwide.
In 1990 Mona Golabek was nominated for a Grammy Award in the category of Best Chamber Music or Other Small Ensemble Performance for her album of music consisting of Anton Stepanovich Arensky’s Piano Trio #2 In D Minor and Peter Ilich Tchaikovsky’s Piano Trio in A Minor. Mona Golabek has been the subject of several documentaries, including Concerto for Mona with conductor Zubin Mehta.
Mona Golabek’s mother is the subject of her acclaimed books, The Children of Willesden Lane, Lisa of Willesden Lane, and the illustrated book Hold on To Your Music. They have been translated and published in French, Italian, German, Hebrew, Spanish and Polish with forthcoming Arabic and Hungarian publications.
In 2012, Mona Golabek made her debut at the Los Angeles Geffen Playhouse in The Pianist of Willesden Lane, adapted from the book. The production, written and directed by Hershey Felder, starring Mona Golabek, has been celebrated by critics and audiences with sold out theatrical runs in New York and London. Golabek has received Best Actress Nominations from the New York Drama Desk Awards and the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle.
In 2003, Golabek formed the Hold On To Your Music Foundation. To date, more than one million students and families have experienced the WILLESDEN READ – the educational mission, spearheaded by the nonprofit, that is devoted to spreading the inspirational message of her mother’s story.
DR. HILLEL NEWMAN, Consul General of Israel in Los Angeles: Discussed the failed state of Lebanon and Hezbollah missiles; The Abraham Accords, a series of treaties normalizing diplomatic relations between Israel, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Sudan and Morocco, facilitated by the U.S.; and the state of the COVID response in Israel.
Service Readers for High Holy Day Services Included:
MARY HART, Iconic Former American Television Personality for Entertainment Tonight (9/15)
JIM MORET, Chief Correspondent for the syndicated television news magazine, Inside Edition (9/15)
DAPHNA E. ZIMAN, President, Co-Chairwoman and Chief Creative Officer, Cinémoi Television Network and New York Times Best-Selling Author, will read a new self-penned poem, “Humanity” (9/15)
BEVERLY TODD, Actress, “Lean on Me,” “Moving,” “Crash,” “The Bucket List” (9/16)
BERNARD HILLER, Renowned Acting Teacher (9/16)
Service Performers for High Holy Day Services Included:
CHLOE TUCKER, Actress and Singer, “Junk,” “Mamma Mia!” Tour (9/16)
SHARON FARBER, Four-Time Emmy Award-Nominated Film, Television and Concert Music Composer, ASCAP Board Member, Member of Executive Committee of the Music Branches of The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences and the Television Academy, Vice President of the Alliance of Women Film Composers and Music Director for the Beverly Hills Temple of the Arts at the Saban Theatre (9/15 and 9/16)
ILYSIA J. PIERCE, Cantor, Beverly Hills Temple of the Arts at the Saban Theatre (Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast,” First National Tour) (9/15 and 9/16)
JORDAN BENNETT, Co-Cantor, Beverly Hills Temple of the Arts at the Saban Theatre (Lead in “Les Misérables” on Broadway) (9/15 and 9/16)
ADRIENNE BARON, Noted Vocalist (9/15 and 9/16)
EDEN KONTESZ, 10-year-old singer whose credits include: “Transparent,” “The Simpsons” and “Don’t Look Deeper” (9/15 and 9/16)
Instrumentalists for Kol Nidre and Yom Kippur included:
MURRAY MIDDLEMAN, Clarinet, Flute and Saxophone, ALEXANDER KALMAN, Violin, DIMITRY OLEVSKY, Violin, GARIK TERZIAN, Cello and LIESL ERMAN, Harp (9/15 and 9/16)
JOE BUCHANAN: Country music composer, singer and guitarist will perform his song, “Better Together” from his album, “Back From Babylon” (9/15). On (9/16) performed some of his other original music.
MONA GOLABEK: Grammy Award-nominated concert pianist and author talked about and performed excerpts from her critically acclaimed one-woman show, The Pianist of Willesden Lane. (9/15 and 9/16.
Mona Golabek’s story and playing was otherworldly, she is the real deal! The day for me was filled with tears of sadness as well as tears of joy, everything you would want from your day of atonement.
Tucked away in a mini-mall called The Gateway is an oasis of pure culinary pleasure. You can tell just how good the food is by all of the people in the restaurant. A Saturday afternoon and the place was packed. Customers are couples, girlfriends, and families, all enjoying their divine food. Whether it is outside on the very lively patio or inside where you feel like you’re somewhere in the Mediterranean, it is all delicious and a wonderful treat for your eyes as well. But don’t mistake their food for truly Italian, no, more of a fusion of Middle Eastern and Italian, right smack in the middle.
I sat at a booth in the bar, which had a Dodger’s giant’s game on their large flat-screen TV, which to me is an added bonus. They have 4 flat-screen TVs in the bar all on different sports channels, so you could come here and enjoy a meal and watch your favorite game. Plus they also have happy hour with complimentary appetizers. Who does that any more? Happy hours are all now just discounted food and drinks, but here they are doing a nice spread of free food, I love that. Honestly, if I lived closer I would be here all the time. With live music on the weekends, how could you go wrong!
They play great guitar music on their playlists, Ottmar Leibert, The Gypsy Kings, and a past client of mine Jesse Cook, all to lighten your mood and get your palate ready for this sumptuous food. The interior is filled with art. There is a floor-to-ceiling magnolia tree inside the dining room. It might be fake, I didn’t get that close. Venetian glass wall sconces and overhead fixtures light up the room, while the banquets are covered in a lovely floral modern fabric.
The restaurant is a family-run restaurant, by Nima Javapour, his dad, and his wife Sunny. They have been operating since 2014, however, have been longtime residents of the Santa Clarita Valley since 1989. They all have extensive experience and background working for multi-national hotels (Hilton, Marriott, Hyatt, etc.) and numerous stand-alone and corporate restaurants. They decided in 2014 to utilize their combined experience and open a restaurant in the community where all of our families have grown and are currently living.
Here’s What I Tried:
Cocktails:
3 Martinis:
Lemon Drop – in a proper martini glass, not too sweet, just right.
Traditional with Blue Cheese olives, the olives are so incredible, wow.
Cosmopolitan, this was not the typical Cosmopolitan, it’s far better.
Specials:
Special Muffaletta, with fries. This sandwich is filled with great cold cuts and the olive tapenade inside is all that.
Special Paparedelle with prawns, one of my favorite dishes at Olive Terrace. I ordered this dish with the pappardelle, my readers should do the same.
Entrees
GRILLED RACK OF LAMB, WITH garlic & herb marinated, turmeric, extra virgin olive oil, seven spice, baby vegetables, apricot, raisin, and almond basmati rice. The best part of this dish for me was the rice, no joke.
MEDITERRANEAN POWER SPINACH, with turkey, baby spinach, kale, almonds, pistachio, dates, garbanzo beans, quinoa, hard boiled eggs, pomegranate, orange segments, in a honey blood orange vinaigrette. I really loved this salad, it’s got everything you would want in a salad.
CRABMEAT STUFFED MUSHROOMS, with garlic, onion, panko breadcrumb, butter, smoked Gouda. The crabmeat is real crabmeat, and it’s got a Gouda cheese kick, really terrific.
MONTEREY BAY TEMPURA CALAMARI, with lemon, chili flake, garlic, cocktail sauce, tartar sauce. The tartar sauce is all that and more, for sure a must-have.
BAKED OYSTERS, nice oysters with a crumbly stuffing.
THE WEDGE, With baby iceberg lettuce, Gorgonzola crumbles, red onions bacon, tomatoes, pepitas, black sesame, blue cheese. Another must-have menu item for me, just loved their rendition of this famous salad.
COQUILLES SAINT JACQUES GNOCCHI PASTA, with jumbo scallops, shallots, mushrooms, Swiss cheese, béchamel sauce, linguine Alfredo, garlic toast. The scallops are large and the sauce and cheeses will blow your hair back, but beware very filling and very rich.
Desert:
Crème Brulee caramelized brown sugar, delicious and comforting, with some nice berries on top.
Old Fashioned Pecan Tart vanilla ice cream, the tart is full of great pecan flavor, not too sweet just right.
Wines:
Chardonnay
HESS SELECT 2018, MONTEREY, CALIFORNIA,
Crisp, clean and bright. Lemon-Lime, apple, and a tropical touch with balanced acidity.
SONOMA-CUTRER 2017, RUSSIAN RIVER, CALIFORNIA,
Fuji apple, fresh roses, lime, lemon blossom, and nectarine complemented with nougat, baking spices, and wet stone minerality. Crisp and zesty flavors of lemon drop, lime, and grapefruit.
MER SOLEIL, UNOAKED 2017, MONTEREY COUNTY, CALIFORNIA. Creamy, not overly buttery aromas meet with Anjou pear, honeysuckle, and Marcona almond notes on the nose The palate combines nutty qualities with lemon peel and sharply acidic apple. Every one of these chardonnays were just simply divine, all having similar characteristics, all to be paired with any of the seafood items.
Zinfandel:
JOEL GOT 2017, CENTRAL COAST, CALIFORNIA,
aromas of roasted plum and blackberry jam with hints of sweet spices. Bright red fruit flavors and acidity are complemented by a soft, round mouthfeel and a long finish. This wine will pair perfectly with the lamb, it is just that simple.
The vibe was fun, lively, with lots of energy inside and out. I would absolutely come back here anytime when I am in the area, as well as coming back for their happy hour and live music. This place was a true hit with me!
This film is a true miracle, it’s a transformative movie about a man’s loss of his wife and son. It will really make you cry, it’s just so poignant. All shot on an IPhone. The family of director Vineesha Arora Sarin and her actor husband, Amit Sarin went on a road trip, a family vacation, but Vineesha decided to take footage of their trip and write and script and make a film. It’s more about a distraught man going on a journey to face death, but instead, meets life. It’s very beautiful, full of Vineesha’s heartfelt poetry. Between Mountains will give you something to think about. There is a lot about suicide prevention in this film as well. So there is much to take away. And coming back to the Chaplin Theater was so wonderful for me; I have not had any opportunity to see a film there since before March of 2020 when Covid shut everything down. Wherever you’re coming from in your life this film is very relatable, it just pulls at your heartstrings. The cinematography is astounding, you can’t fathom that it is all shot on an iPhone, but it is. The editing was also breathtaking. When this film gets released it would be so worth taking the time out to enjoy it, but make sure you bring some Kleenex, you will need it.
Press Release:
Female Filmmaker Dazzles At Raleigh Studios As Smartphone Narrative Feature Film Premieres To US Audiences, Securing Rave Reviews From Hollywood Foreign Press Association & Industry Professionals
“Vineesha Arora Sarin, remember that name – she’s the first female director to make a film on an iPhone, and she’s managed to capture the beauty of nature in all its splendor. Her feature film, Between Mountains is a meditative essay on loss and redemption, the end result, a brilliant and heartfelt experience. The cast, led by her husband & well-known Bollywood actor Amit Sarin was phenomenal – it was amazing to see the raw emotion that his performance triggered from the audience.”
Noel De Souza – Journalist, Actor & Member of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association
On August 27that Raleigh Studios – Between Mountains, winner of the Best Narrative Feature at the recent AFI World Peace Initiative (In association with the United Nations) Karl Bardosh Cell Phone Cinema Humanitarian Awards during Marche du Film, premiered for US audiences. Filmmaker Vineesha Arora Sarin opened eyes and melted hearts with her powerful conceptualization of extreme pain and mental illness. Arora Sarin has trailblazed a new path for female filmmakers, representative for the first time that a female has directed, produced, and written a smartphone narrative feature film.
“I am overwhelmed at the first response towards this very humble project. The feeling that this family road trip adventure during the peak of Covid 19 turned into an actual film is still something I haven’t yet fully processed. I didn’t know when I started shooting films on my phone that I’d be making history one day as the first Asian filmmaker to do so. None of it seems real. But I’m very excited that the pandemic turned my filmmaking dreams to reality. And the format / medium didn’t matter. I simply wanted to tell my stories, and I wanted to tell them now – my phone gave me the instant means to do just that.”
Vineesha Arora Sarin – Between Mountains, Director/Producer/Writer
Comprised by members of The Hollywood Foreign Press Association and other entertainment professionals, the film and filmmaker were celebrated by a packed audience at the historic Chaplin Theater. There wasn’t a dry eye to be found, guests were overcome by emotion – both by the story and the visuals to which Arora Sarin was able to capture using a cell phone. Veteran Director Dwight H. Little, known for Marked for Death, Rapid Fire, Free Willy 2: The Adventure Home, Murder at 1600 and Halloween 4, said “Between Mountains is a beautifully realized Film – Poem with haunting images and often profound insights about grief, loss, and recovery.”
Between Mountains stars Bollywood sensation Amit Sarin who was recognized as “Best Actor” at the Karl Bardosh Cell Phone Cinema Humanitarian Awards for his work on the film. His performance explores mental health from the perspective of a single characterization – his characters extreme loss and how quickly one can fall. The feature film takes audiences on a progressive journey of self-discovery, enlightenment, and recovery. A recently widowed father reaches his breaking point after also losing his young son to an untimely sudden death. Overcome with sadness Amit sets out on a broken road with the intent of ending his life. His journey soon takes the path of an ethereal and metaphysical illumination – experiencing first-hand the universe’s power to heal.
So moved by the film, New Generation In Action’s AFI World Peace Initiative Founder, Princess Angelique A. Monet, decided to acquire the project. Monet has a long-standing track record of promoting world peace, diversity, and inclusion around the world. Monet’s UN supported organization has a long history as the only organization with “Consultative Status” for ECOSOC that promotes world peace, and under-served/under-represented people and honors “films of purpose.” Hollywood veterans have received the organizations highest honors – such as Danny Glover, Graham Greene, Ron Perlman, Jeff Bridges, the late Peter O’Toole and most recently two-time Oscar nominee Barry Alexander Brown.
It was so great being back at The Pantages Theater seeing the iconic show Hamilton, Lin-Manuel Miranda’s brainchild, that has made him millions and delighted fans all over the world. Honestly, I can totally understand why. I saw the televised version on Disney+ recently, and was awestruck, but seeing it live really shook my world. The acting, singing, dancing is just spectacular and the music and lyrics are pure genius. I would say to everyone run don’t walk to see this major touring production of the Broadway sensation, Hamilton.
The Pantages never looked better, all gussied up and finally being back open. You had to have proof of vaccination and wear a mask to watch the show. If this is the price we have to pay to see live theater then I will do it gladly. There is just nothing like live theater, you’re experiencing a moment. Even watching it on Disney + was truly wonderful, but the actual interaction of actors and audience is something you just can’t miss. I felt safe and was so grateful to be part of this live phenomenon.
About Hamilton: Winner of 11 Tony Awards and the 2016 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, Hamilton is one of Broadway’s biggest hits. From the mind of 2015 MacArthur Genius grant recipient Lin-Manuel Miranda and Ron Chernow’s landmark bestselling biography comes a new musical about the scrappy young immigrant who forever changed America, Alexander Hamilton. Tony Award-winner Thomas Kail directs this new musical about taking your shot, speaking your mind, and turning the world upside down.
SYNOPSIS: From bastard orphan to Washington’s right hand man, rebel to war hero, loving husband caught in the country’s first sex scandal to Treasury head who made an untrusting world believe in the American economy, Hamilton is an exploration of a political mastermind. George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Eliza Hamilton, and lifelong Hamilton friend and foe, Aaron Burr, all attend this revolutionary tale of America’s fiery past told through the sounds of the ever-changing nation we’ve become.
HAMILTON is the story of America’s Founding Father Alexander Hamilton, an immigrant from the West Indies who became George Washington’s right-hand man during the Revolutionary War and was the new nation’s first Treasury Secretary. Featuring a score that blends hip-hop, jazz, blues, rap, R&B, and Broadway, HAMILTON is the story of America then, as told by America now.
Cast: Alexander Hamilton – Jamael Westman, Eliza Hamilton – Joanna A. Jones, Aaron Burr – Nicholas Christopher, Angelica Schuyler – Sabrina Sloan, George Washington – Carvens Lissaint, Marquis De Lafayette/ Thomas Jefferson – Simon Longnight, Hercules Mulligan / James Madison – Jared Howelton, King George – Rory O’ Malley, Philip Schuyler/James Reynolds/Doctor – Trey Curtis, Samuel Seabury – Aaron Alexander Gordon, Charles Lee – Julian Ramos, George Eaker – Terrance Spencer.
Ensemble: Sam Aberman, Gerald Avery, Trey Curtis, Aaron Alexander Gordon, Sabrina Imamura, Carina – Kay Louchiey, Taeko McCarroll, Julian Ramos, Willie Smith III, Terrance Spencer, and Morgan Anita Wood.
The touring cast is so talented; they just knocked it out of the park. Great voices, great performance, great ensemble, they really leave it all out there on the stage every night! And the set was really ingenious; never changing, just being modular, it really worked for me.
Hamilton is running now at The Pantages Theater through January of 2022. There are plenty of seats and they have a lottery as well that you can get on your phone, so there is just no excuse not to go buy tickets and enjoy. Broadway in Hollywood is the best thing to happen to Los Angeles in a long time, and since everything was shut down now is the time to celebrate!
In the heart of Hollywood, on Hollywood Boulevard, right down the block from Vine Street, stands the Hollywood Pantages Theatre. It’s a fitting location: The Pantages has become one of the greatest landmarks of Hollywood, signifying both the glorious past and adventuresome future of the world’s entertainment capital.
The Hollywood Pantages has a history as grand and diverse as the stage and screen fare, which audiences have flocked to enjoy there for half a century. These days it’s one of Los Angeles’ leading homes of legitimate theatre (the five highest-grossing weeks in L.A.’s theatrical history were all shows at the Pantages) and a favorite “location” for tv shows, movies and music videos. In the past, it has been a movie house, with live vaudeville acts between features as well as the site of many gala premieres and “spectaculars.” For ten years the Hollywood Pantages Theatre was the home of the glittering Academy Awards Presentations.
While the use of the Hollywood Pantages Theatre may have changed over the years, the theatre does not appear all that different today. After several touch-ups over the years, the Hollywood Boulevard showplace was renovated at the turn of the 21st century to recapture its 1930 look and luxury. When the theatre reopened in September 2000, some 300 people had repainted nearly every inch of the theatre, restored its outer lobby and missing chandeliers, refurbished its walls and prepared it for the new century.
