Jodi Jackson’s Hollywood

On a nice warm sunshine filled day, many of Hollywood’s elite gathered on the roof of the Luxe hotel in Beverly Hills to be gifted an array of very elegant items. Only during The Oscars do I get to have such a grand week of events that includes Roger Neal Style Hollywood Beauty & Couture Suite. I was thrilled to be back at Held at the Luxe Hotel on Rodeo Drive, in their newly renovated Rodeo Drive Penthouse suite.

Some of the fantastic vendors presented their lovely items: Handbag from Marcelo Calabrese, Handbag from Timmy Woods Beverly Hills, Jewelry from royal family jeweler Esther from London, certificates from Long Mi Lashes and Daniel Dinh, Gown from DiPaula Designs, Smart Scarf by Fur Frenzy, Gown from Sonjjia Baram, certificate from Brynn Cannon and Marvelous massage, certificate from My Beautiful Bare Skin facials, Madeline Beth Hook Me Ups portable couture smart phone chargers, Ethel Richards author of, The Bobby Sherman Miracle, Lorimar Wine & Champagne, Official Gourmet Chocolatiers, Mary’s Cake Shop, Hint Water supplied all of the water for the suite, and the World Famous Sweetie Pies and Sweet Times provided the food for the suite this year! One of the official Charity’s this year was the John Ritter Foundation.

The 16 Oscar Nominees that attended this year, and in the past stars have included: William Shatner, Laura Dern, Paul Sorvino, Lanie Kazan, Quvenzhane Wallis, Steven Tyler, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Angela basset, Adam Lambert, Penelope Ann Miller, Wendi McClendon-Covey, Joe Montagna, Nominee Siedah Garrett, Oscar winning director Michel Hazanavicius and his wife Berenice Bejo of The Artist, Oscar nominated stars from Twelve Years A Slave, The Hobbit, Nebraska, Argo, Django, Hitchcock, Oscar Winner Shawn Christiansen, Oscar Winner Marcia Gay Hardin, as well as Penny Marshall.

The gowns, boots and purses from DiPaula Designs were so innovative, and fabulous. They use every part of a soda can for their creations, all recycled, and all gorgeous. I was very fortunate they gave me a party purse in silver can tops that I am using every chance I get. I also loved the food provided by Sweetie Pies, yummy fried chicken, pulled pork, mac n cheese, potato salad, and very wonderful catfish sandwiches.

A really sophisticated affair, filled with lots of celebrities and even more fantastic gift giving, what a way to spend the day!

Roger Neal Style Hollywood Beauty & Couture Suite Celebrating The 88th Academy Awards
Luxe Hotel
360 N. Rodeo Dr.
Beverly Hills CA.

February 28, 2016 – The Roger Neal Style Hollywood (RNSH) Oscar Viewing Dinner:

The RNSH Academy Awards viewing dinner took place on Oscar Night February 28,th 2016 at the World Famous Hollywood Museum (The historic Max Factor building) located at 1660 Highland Avenue in Hollywood, CA. Young and classic stars from TV and film were given the opportunity to tour this incredible museum prior to dinner. Festivities included: Academy Awards Exhibit complete with Hors D’oeuvres and Wine & Champagne, and full sit down dinner.

Hollywood Museum founder, Ms. Donelle Dadigan said that The Hollywood Museum is truly the ideal location for the Roger Neal Style Hollywood Oscar Viewing gala. “Being adjacent to and overlooking the festivities, the proximity allows celebrities and guest to share in the excitement of the Academy Awards themselves,” says museum President and Founder, Donelle Dadigan.

Presenting sponsors included: DaTang International Entertainment and Desert Rock Entertainment who has partnered on a $100-million-dollar slate of films stated, “We are very excited to be a part of this Oscar night event.” Ms. Alice Wang from DaTang Int. Entertainment is a well-known and successful director/ filmmaker in Asia. She will be producing along with Tim Lowry who will direct two American films starring Ms. Candy Wang (the Jennifer Lopez of Asia) called “6 Days on A Raft”, the true story of WW2 vet 94 yr. old Bill Harrison as well as a second thriller called “Seven”. Candy Wang is also a music star in Asia; her most recent concert in China drew 50,000 fans. Candy said, “I am looking forward to working in America and meeting fellow actors on Oscar night.” Mr. Bill Harrison and Ms. Candy Wang attended the dinner. Tim Lowry, of Desert Rock Entertainment, who is Alice Wang’s American partner said, “I cannot wait for Oscar night, I am very excited that the John Ritter Foundation for Aortic Health will be involved. I was a big fan of John Ritter it will be a pleasure to meet his wife Amy Yasbeck on Oscar night.”

The official charities for the RNSH Oscar Viewing Dinner included:
The John Ritter Foundation for Aortic Health, Safety Harbor Kids, as well as Andy Transplant Foundation.

The night started off by facing the challenge of getting into this high security area. With the actual Oscars right on the same corner you had to have patience and perseverance to maneuver the street closures and detours. Smartly thought through, the entrance to Roger Neal’s Style Dinner is in the alley behind the Hollywood Museum, so you really do bypass all of the craziness that is right outside this building. The glamour begins upon entering the back entrance with the two vintage Rolls Royce’s parked along side the entrance. From the moment you walk in, old Hollywood hits you right in the face with all of the fantastic memorabilia.

There were two very busy Red Carpets, one for print media and one for digital media. Lots of action was held on the red carpet; when I arrived they both were actually backed up, but really it adds to all of the excitement.

The gowns and tuxedos were all very fashion forward; I asked many people, “Who are you wearing?” There were so many designer gowns it was hard to keep track. The jewelry was also everywhere; you could have opened up a new Tiffany store with all of the fancy diamonds! It just seemed like everyone stepped up his or her game to attend Roger’s event.

The main event, The Viewing party, was held on the top floor with what they call a ballroom. The perfect red rose centerpieces adorned each table and Gold Chocolatier Glamour Bombonier Brazilian Sweets made miniature chocolate Oscar award statues covered in edible gold that everyone enjoyed. There were lots and lots of flat screens to see from every part of the room, so that was a plus.

The RNSH Oscar event presented a white glove dinner showcasing the cuisine of Presidential Chef Kurt Erhlich. A lovely four-course meal that featured two different types of salad followed by the entrée comprised of both salmon and steak with garlic potatoes and a stuffed cooked tomato. The dessert was served in a festive martini glass, which was quite good as well. All the food was paired with Lorimar wines as well as rum. All in all, it was just a perfectly rounded evening.

The Oscar show itself was very interesting, with all of the diversity issues and seeing how Chris Rock made fun at every turn. In between the commercials Roger Neal gave some pretty big awards of his own to, George Chakiris and Margaret O’Brien, receiving the Icon Award.

I just loved all of the glitz and glamour that the night provided us partygoers. Such a nice, well planned, perfectly executed event. From now on I need to look no further for my Oscar viewing needs. Thanks Roger!

The Roger Neal Style Hollywood (RNSH) Oscar Viewing Dinner
The World Famous Hollywood Museum
1660 N. Highland Ave.
Hollywood, CA. 90028
(The Historic Max Factor Building)

LA Weekly presents The Essentials at the California Market Center in DTLA. Curated by our award-winning food critic, Besha Rodell, the event showcases signature bites from restaurants featured in LA Weekly’s 99 Essentials restaurant issue that hits stands the same week. Along with the great food, guests will enjoy wine from top shelf wineries and cocktail samples from major liquor partners.

All under one roof it is truly a foodie’s paradise, with more than 60 restaurants showing off their spectacular fare. Located downtown in the California Mart within a very urban warehouse environment, this evening the food was the art and the space was an empty canvas to showcase the fare. Plus, many of these restaurants’ celebrity chefs were on the front lines serving up their fancy grub.

California Market Center (CMC) is the iconic hub of the style industries in Los Angeles. Established in the early 60s, the CMC is now home to the Fashion, Gift, Home, Interior Design and Textile trades. Located on 9th and Main in downtown’s Fashion District, the CMC is home to hundreds of wholesale showrooms in addition to a range of offices, studio spaces, fashion design schools, restaurants, cafes, shops, and special event venues. Visited by thousands of retailers, designers, manufacturers, press, style makers, and taste makers from around the globe, the CMC is open daily and hosts a busy Calendar filled with Markets, trade shows, seminars and events for the fashion, home design, gifts and textiles industries as well as exclusive events and sample sales open to the public. The CMC is also producer and host of the following industry-renowned Fashion, Gift & Home, and Textile trade events: Los Angeles Fashion Market, SELECT | Contemporary Trade show, Los Angeles Kids Market, TRANSIT | Footwear & Accessories Show, The LA Int’l Textile Show (LA Textile), Market Tuesday, CMC Gift & Home Market, LA Majors Market.

The restaurants featured at the event were: Animal, A.O.C, Aqui es Texcoco, Baroo Los Angeles, Belcampo Meat Co., Bestia, Beverly Soon Tofu Restaurant, Bludso’s BBQ, Broken Spanish, Burritos La Palma, Button Mash, Cacao Mexicatessen, Cassia LA, Chengdu Taste, Chicken Itsa Restaurant, Colonia Publica, Connie and Ted’s, Coni’ Seafood Restaurant, Corazon y Miel, Crossroads Los Angeles, Dune, El Huarache Azteca, Guelaguetza Restaurants, Guerrilla Tacos, Guisados, Ink Restaurant, Jitlada LA, Jon & Vinny’s, Kiriko Sushi, Kogi BBQ, La Casita Mexicana, Le Comptoir LA, Little Sister, Lucques, Lukshon, Luv2eat Thai Bistro, Mariscos Jalisco, Maude, Mélisse, Night + Market Thai, Osteria Mozza, Papilles Bistro, Park’s BBQ, Philippe the Original, Pine & Crane, POT Restaurant, Providence LA, Racion Restaurant, Redbird LA, Republique LA, Rice Bar LA, Rustic Canyon Wine Bar and Seasonal Kitchen, Sotto Restaurant, Spago, Sqirl LA, Szechuan Impression, Terrine LA, The Hungry Cat, Trois Mec, Union, Wexlers Deli.

A few of my favorite food items served were: Rice Bar LA’s pork ball, Philippe’s dipped roast beef sandwich, Park’s BBQ grilled Galbi, Union Pork Meatballs with Creamy Polenta, Bestia Pork Belly, and many others. There were a fine variety of all kinds of ethnic food and so many tastings, making it difficult to write about all of them.

The Wineries that were there include the following: Giovanni Almondo, AM/FM, Clos Figueras, Beaujolais Dupeuble , European Cellars, Félsina , Schloss Gobelsburg , Gulfi , Hunt & Harvest – Napa Valley , Chablis – Roland, Lavantureux , Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant, Koan, La Rioja Alta, S.A., Lieu Dit, Loring Wine Company, Macon-Villages , M.W.T.C, Olé – Patrick Mata & Alberto Orte, il Palagio , Poco Do Lobo , Revel Wine, Rieflé 1609, Saint Jean Du Barroux – Philippe, Gimel , Secco Bertani , Shacksbury , La Tercera , Domaine Gilles Troullier , WineWise – The Vienna Wine Company.

Sponsors: Amoeba Music, Bai, Baja Brewing Co., Birchware, Beautiful Things LA, Califia Farms, Cocktail & Sons, Crabbie’s Alcoholic Ginger Been, Deep Eddy, Vodka, Diabolo, Dry Sparkling, First Aid Shot Therapy, 20 Geffen Playhouse, Grubhub, Heaven Hill Brands, Hustler Hollywood, Jenis Splendid Ice Creams, Kettle Brand, Blanc, LAcarGUY, Melissa’s, Mount Saint Mary’s University Los Angeles – Graduate Division, Naked Pressed, Poached, Schofferhofer Grapefruit, SoCal etsy guild, Spearmint Rhino Gentlemen’s Clubs, UCLA Extension, Wine Exchange est. 1982
XLanes, Zico Coconut Water.The charity that was involved was Food Forward.

The music was provided by: DJ Tropikal, Tropikal is the project of New York City born LA based beatmaker/producer and multi instrumentalist Merlo Podlewski. A blend of Dub Bass AfroBrazil Percussion and Analog Synthesizers.

Many happy people were indulging in all of these great culinary finds. The crowd was full of young hipsters with a downtown vibe, but I’m sure there were all walks of LA life tasting this unique food. The lines were long but really worth the wait! If you want to know who are the latest Chefs and Food in Los Angeles this is a great place to start.

LA Weekly The Essentials
California Market Center
110 E. 9th Street
Los Angeles, CA 90079

[Show as slideshow]

Oh what a few years and a new Chef can do! This place is currently at its peak, and there are so many reasons why you should run to Wood & Vine right now.

I first came to Wood & Vine in July of 2014. It’s not that the Chef at the time was bad, just that the current Executive Chef, Kyle Schutte, has a different take on comfort cuisine. A take that’s super fun, bold, modern, and yet to be done anywhere else. His combinations of ingredients are off the charts. He just knows how things will taste together by thinking about it before it gets cooked and lands on a plate for consumer consumption. He is a pure genius. My experience was great in 2014, but like fine wine, a little time will make a good wine fantastic.

Here’s what I tried:

Charcuterie & Cheese With house pickles, seasonal jam, whole grain mustard ice cream. It is very hard to describe such a wildly new yet amazing concept like whole grain mustard ice cream. I would order this again just to taste this ice cream.

Beef Tartare, grass-fed strip loin, blueberries, pickled mustard seed, hazelnut, and slow-cooked egg, toast. The slow cooked egg on top is just so decadent and it oozes goodness all over the lovely raw meat. The blueberries also take this dish to another level.

Broccolini, with onion jam, almond, yuzu, chili threads. It is a little bit spicy with the chili threads, but a very healthy menu item all the same.

Brussels Sprouts, habanero water, beef fat, Asian pear, rice krispies, frozen yogurt, and Thai basil. So the same kind of concept in the Charcuterie & Cheese with the whole grain mustard ice cream, but instead it is frozen yogurt and as it melts it become a rich creamy sauce, wow.

Roasted & Pickled Mushrooms with carrot puree, corn nuts, and cucumber. You will just gobble this dish right up like I did. The sweetness and picked flavors add up to just being so yummy.

Deep Fried Burger with pickled mustard mayo, beer braised onions, hop scotch cheddar. Another amazing accomplishment, just loved the sauce with the burger.

Local Halibut with chocolate, vanilla, salsify, baby turnips. This is a really novel combination, chocolate with fish, who would have thought, but it really works, and it is so amazing.

Sea Scallops with salt-baked carrots, lemon curd, black garlic. There are a lot of caramelized flavors in this dish, and all of it works perfectly together with the scallops.

Desserts:

Butterscotch bourbon ice cream, sweet thyme crumble, it is creamy, smooth and utterly delicious.

Churro, Mexican hot chocolate poached pear, dulce de leche ice cream. Save some room for this one, you will love it.

The specialty cocktails are astounding as well as their fantastic selection of wines. Everything you will try whether its cocktails, wine, all paired with their delectable food will make you very happy. These are some of the wines I tried: Alysian – Sanvignon Blanc, Cordon – Chardonnay, La Follette – Chardonnay, Annabella – Pinot Noir, Cole Bailey – Cabernet, Trenza – Syrah/Tempranillo. The La Follette was my favorite, which was a great pair with any of the seafood selections. The Trenza – Syrah/Tempranillo was my favorite red, and was so great with the short rib and the burger.

I have had a lot of history with this location, having worked in the Taft building for many years, I just wish we would have had this option to dine at Wood and Vine back then. They are going strong after 5 years in this location and their customer base as gotten a lot larger. I went to their 5 year anniversary party as well the following night, they have so many loyal followers.

I am not going to wait another 2 years before I try this stellar cuisine again; there are just too many things I have to have at least once a month here at Wood and Vine.

Wood and Vine

6280 Hollywood Blvd

Los Angeles, CA 90028

Hollywood

(323) 334-3360

www.woodandvine.com

[Show as slideshow]

On Sunday, Feb. 28TH 2016 Oscar Night, promises to be a night of glitz and glamour that can only be planned by Roger Neal himself in the most iconic place in Hollywood. The Hollywood Museum is filled with so much Hollywood memorabilia it would make your head spin. That coupled with the fact that it is right around the corner from all of the activity, at the World Famous Hollywood Museum, formally the Max Factor Museum. 1660 N. Highland Ave., Hollywood.

All eyes globally will be watching as the awards are doled out with all the favorites in tow. A night of high honor and equal excitement will be the main menu, but lets not forget the elegant sit down dinner, featuring the cuisine of Presidential Chef Kurt Erhlich, that will accompany Roger Neal’s Oscar viewing party in all it’s glory. There is so much Oscar excitement in the air!!!

Presented by Datang International Entertainment & Desert Rock Entertainment, and Roger Neal. Already confirmed 80 stars, Oscar winners, TV and Film stars. The official Charities: The John Ritter Foundation for Aortic Health and Safety Harbor Kids and Andy Transplant Foundation. http://www.johnritterfoundation.org/ http://www.safetyharborkids.org/

Presenting sponsors Tim Lowry of Desert Rock Entertainment and Tawain’s Alice Wang of Datang International Entertainment, stating that they are very excited to be able to be part of this Oscar night event, Alice Wang is a hugely successful director and filmmaker in Asia, she will be directing and producing two American movies 6 Days On A Raft, the true story of WW2 vet 94 yr. old Bill Harrison, who will attend the dinner, and the thriller Seven.

Tim Lowry, of Desert Rock Ent, Alice Wang’s American partner on a $100-million-dollar slate of films said that he cannot wait for Oscar night, and is very excited that the John Ritter Foundation for Aortic Health will be involved, Lowry said I was a big fan of John Ritter and he is looking forward to meeting his wife Amy Yasbeck on Oscar night.

Jodi Jackson’s Hollywood will be covering both Roger Neal Style Hollywood Oscar Viewing Dinner and Roger Neal Style Hollywood (RNSH) 20th Annual Beauty & Couture Academy Award Suite this Thursday Feb. 24th and Friday Feb. 25th, stay tuned.

For Roger Neal Style Hollywood Oscar Viewing Dinner:
Roger Neal Public Relations & Marketing
Tel – 323-366-2796 E-Mail: [email protected]

This is a very upbeat clean, crisp restaurant that promises to deliver the freshest ingredients and food ever. There have been a few other restaurants housed in this space. One that I reviewed a little while back, but Bru’s Wiffle offers a unique take on a fun foodie trend that everyone seems to be getting their forks into, waffles! Not just any waffles, but delectable Belgian waffles with so many accompaniments it will truly make your head spin.

They have taken away all of the dark dank interiors from the previous incarnations here and made it very light and chipper. The fun hanging light fixtures over the bar add nice ambient light as well as the bars white marble top. The original brick walls incorporates a nice warmth to the white walls and wood floors. Orchid plants are also everywhere and brighten up the whole space. There were a lot of young couples enjoying their meals, and very upbeat old school rock classics served as the soundtrack. You can just tell that Bru’s Wiffle will be catching on in a big way really soon.

The atmosphere is comfortable and inviting – a reflection of its warm and endearing creator and owner, Ebru Fidan Caplan, who was born and raised in Turkey. She grew up in her family’s hotel and restaurant business, learning the art of cooking. Everything is made from scratch, using only the freshest and finest ingredients. Having been to Turkey I can understand the little nuances of Bru’s Wiffle Mediterranean influences. Ebru is bringing a new eating experience to Beverly Hills and Santa Monica via her restaurants. She combines her European beginnings, fine management skills, favorite recipes, and her love for cooking.

Bru’s Wiffle is just the right place to indulge your senses in perfect cuisine. You don’t need to come in to Bru’s Wiffle just for your waffle addiction, because their menu has just about everything. From eggs, salad, pasta, and dinner items; you can get all of your much needed sustenance here.

Here’s what I tried:

Appetizers:

Crispy rice balls with mozzarella and mushroom. This appetizer is very light, juicy, and is guaranteed to make you very happy.

Salt & Pepper chicken, crispy chicken bites, bell peppers, scallions, and garlic. The small pieces of chicken are tender and perfect, but I really loved the tangy vegetable type salad that accompanied it, very Mediterranean.

Guac on toast with goat cheese, mashed avocado, cucumber, jalapeno, and mushroom. This is a very hearty toast and the combo of these ingredients is just wonderful.

Chicken & Waffle – golden goat, served with goat cheese and honey. Chicken and waffles are all the rage and these don’t disappoint. The waffles are big Belgian style, that are very flavorful and the fried chicken just hits all the right spots. There are so many different types of chicken and waffles that you could order a different type every time.

Eggs Benedict, served with mix greens with crispy polenta salmon cake eggs Benedict, with basil pesto hollandaise sauce. This is such a unique take on a Benedict, the sauce is terrific, green, and then it being on polenta really sets it apart from any other Benedict you will ever try.

Waffle Scrambles, Popeye, tomatoes, spinach, mushrooms and onions. This is for a breakfast lover, it is very tasty with lots of filling toppings.

Omelets:

Meat Lover’s with turkey sausage, pepperoni, bacon, mozzarella cheese and avocado, served with blazing sauce. There is so much meat in this omelet you will never want for anything more.

Burgers:

Bru’s Burger, served on a brioche bun, with smoked apple wood bacon, fried egg, grilled onion, avocado, tomato and garlic aioli. There is so much yummy stuff piled very high, but next time I would just try the simpler burger because the meat by itself is amazing.

Wraps:

Crispy Chicken with melted wrap, grilled onions, mushrooms, Swiss cheese, and cilantro chipotle dressing. Their handmade dressing is out of this world, and the wrap just hit all the right notes as well.

Lettuce Wraps:

Crispy Chicken, with melted mozzarella, mushroom and chipotle mayo. This one would be for the no carb eater, along side comes very delightful crispy Brussels sprouts. This dish is another must have.

Plates:

Crispy Chicken tower, stack of crispy chicken with mozzarella cheese and jalapeno, with blazing sauce, served with French fries. Any of their chicken dishes are terrific, but the presentation of this menu item is really beautiful. It is all piled high like a big tower.

Salads:

Kale Cobb Salad with kale, bacon, grilled chicken, goat cheese, avocado, eggs with olive oil and fresh lemon juice. I just can’t say enough about this salad and the dressing is homemade as well.

Sandwiches:

Shrimp Poor Boy, the shrimp is fried but not with too much breading or oil so its light and crisp, one of my favorite menu items.

Pizza:

Meat & Meat with tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella, mushroom, prosciutto, and pepperoni. They have their pizza oven from one of the restaurants prior so you just can’t go wrong having this kind of built in equipment, and fantastic pizza.

Seafood:

Salmon Penne, creamy tomato sauce, salmon, and kale. Very nice pink sauce with al dente pasta and the salmon is cubed with nice freshness.

Bru Style Waffles:

Churro Waffle, Belgian waffle with cinnamon, sugar, topped with cinnamon ice cream and chocolate sauce. Truly a decadent choice as a dessert item, but really a perfect way to end my glorious tasting.

My waiter Ernesto Martinez was so much fun, he said, “You have a great job! You walked in like a scene from Sex in the City, saying hi I’m food writer Jodi Jackson”; he just flat out made me laugh every time I spoke with him.

For now they are waiting for their liquor license, but seeing that they have a great array of fresh squeezed juices I did not miss the alcohol. Their fresh coconut juice served in a coconut went so perfect with this amazing food.

There is another location in Santa Monica that is doing really well. I think once you try their food you will be back for more and want to make Bru’s Wiffle a weekly staple in your dining schedule.

Bru’s Wiffle
8635 Wilshire Boulevard
Beverly hills, CA 90211
Phone: 310.360.6600
Fax: 310.360.6606
http://bruswiffle.com/
Hours: Tue-Fri 8a-10p, Sat 9a-10p, Sun 9a-4p, closed Mondays

[Show as slideshow]

I was gifted this beautiful piece of luggage that really has changed my life. I went to Hartmann’s store opening at The Beverly Center last year and spoke a gal from Lividini & Co., Hartmann’s PR team, she assured me that Hartmann luggage would change my traveling experience. I am here to say yes it is very true.

These type of wheels are called spinners, mine was their, Hartmann InnovAire Global Carry-On Spinner and it retails for $500.00, champagne colored. It is very light weight and the wheels spin and go in any direction, which makes for an easy travel experience. I went to San Francisco over Christmas, so pretty much I am dropped off by Southwest curbside, I go through security and the through the airport to my gate. I take my bag on the plane, which is so easy, because you can roll your bag side ways through the isle. It’s lightweight construction makes it easy to pick up and put in the overhead compartment. Uber picked my up at the San Francisco airport and dropped me off at my hotel in Union Square. All very easily navigated wheeling my new Hartmann luggage.

I just want to say thank you to my friend at Lividini & Co. PR in New York for gifting me such a nice high-end piece of luggage that I will travel with forever. They were right it has changed my life!

There are many different styles of this same type of piece, you can check out all of their great products, styles and colors on their website.
http://shop.hartmann.com

[Show as slideshow]

This event is dedicated to Natalie Dubois brother, Fabrice Dubois, who was murdered in Paris at the Bataclan on November 13, as part of all of the terrorist attacks that went on in Paris that horrible evening. Fabrice was an award-winning copywriter in Paris for Publicis Conseil and had received the Gold Epica Award a few days after his death for a Renault ad. Fabrice is survived by his wife and children.

I feel so bad for Natalie and her family, but as they say the show must go on, and it did. This was a heartfelt show for everyone that attended. There was lots to be thankful for. There were some amazing human-interest stories with many of the vendors. Everyone was excited about The Golden Globes, but it was like a guardian angel was watching over all of us as we enjoyed all of the lovely gifts that were offered.

Here are the vendors that attended:

Stephanie Kantis, Quantum Functional Medicine, Malaysian Omorose Cosmetics, Bushearts Scarves, Hair Evolution, Barebumz, Sai Suman, Marchon Eyewear, M Andrews Sartorial Luxury Collection, Demure 31, Box Water, The Wolf Collection, Michique Handbags, Truth in Hand, Miriam Reikerstorfer, Sunny Blue, Kneady Bakery, Cape Breton Fudge Company, Amara Coffee, Elina Fuhrman, Soupelina’s Soup Cleanse, Natura Bisse and trips to Le Taha’s Private Island Resort, Cape Breton Island, and Spa.

Caroline Neron, has an amazing story, she told me about how she was making jewelry with 2 broken arms. She is an actress singer hailing from Quebec. She turned her small jewelry business into a 10 million dollar company very quickly. She gifted me a lovely bracelet that I am now wearing everyday. As sweet as she is beautiful, you can understand why her designs have become so successful.

Stephanie Kantis gave me a gorgeous pair of gold lightweight earrings that I have already worn 5 times since the suite. They have beautiful jewelry; every piece is dramatic and very wearable.

At Arido jewelry I tried on a 17 Million very rare Star Safire ring, I’m surprised they let me try it on, but it was so much fun having that kind of ring on my finger for a minute.

I love the Omusubi at Sunny Blue, especially the miso beef with caramelized onions and miso sauce. It’s a nice compact lunch that is close to sushi, but not quite the same. They have a restaurant in Santa Monica, go try it you will love it!

And…there are always A – list celebrity nominees attending. Here are some past attendees: Queen Latifah, May J. Blige, Jennifer Lopez, Charlize Theron, Richard Gere, Sharon Stone, Stephen Moyer, Angela Bassett, Rachel Bilson, Eva Longoria, Morgan Freeman, Terrance Howard, Spike Lee, Kate Walsh, Paula Abdul, Jennifer Hudson, Colin Firth, Felicity Huffman, Adrian Brody, and many others.

I always have a lovely time at The DPA Gift Suite, it is elegant and each year it just gets better. I am so happy to be included in all of the gift suites that DPA does year round.

[Show as slideshow]

Woody Allen is one prolific dude, I am sure he would take offense to me calling him a dude, but it’s with love and respect that I give him that title. I grew up with Woody Allen movies and being a nice Jewish girl it was sort of a gauge with a new boy if he liked Woody Allen he was in, if not, no dates for him with me. You just have to get Woody’s humor, and if you don’t, Jewish or not, your not going to rate high in my world. If you happen to be Jewish like Woody and Mel Brooks then there will always be some dialog in Yiddish that you just get. With that being said Woody Allen was a natural for Broadway, especially this show.

On screen sometimes you miss the little nuances that you would catch from a live show. The facial expressions, the jokes, the small but fantastic punch lines are much more apparent when its being acted out right in front of you.

Woody Allen has written a movie, a year for the last 50 years, really doesn’t he ever get tired? Quentin Taratino has only written 8 movies his whole career.Woody was born in Brooklyn NY in 1935, his real name is Allan Stewart Konigsberg, very appropriate for the guy who never sleeps. He loves everything New York and most of his films depict that and Bullets Over Broadway is no exception. Instead of stories about people’s lives and neurotic behavior, he has taken a time period about Broadway and made it his own fantastical story.

Bullets over Broadway is written in Woody Allen fashion. You got dames, some smart some not so much, gangsters, writers, starlets each entwined with their own witty repartee, and delicious spiraling out of control stories. Bullets over Broadway was originally a movie based in 1994, but smartly reinvented into a Broadway musical with the screenplay written by Woody Allen and Douglas McGrath. It was Allen’s sister, Letty Aronson, who urged the filmmaker to adapt it for the stage.

Brilliant choreography by Susan Stroman, (the dazzling talent behind the Broadway blitz “The Producers”), the dancing was one of the highlights of the show. Jeff Whiting and Clare Cook have taken over the direction and choreography, respectively. The original productions premiered on Broadway last season at The St. James on April 10, 2014. The production received 6 Tony Award nominations, including Best Book of a Musical and Best Choreography.

The score is a collection of popular songs from around the 1920s, when the story is set. A few are well known standards; “Let’s Misbehave”, “I Ain’t Gonna Play No Second Fiddle”, others not too recognizable. Glen Kelly is credited with the arrangements as well as the clever additional lyrics that patch over narrative gaps. For me bringing back those old standards are nice but I would rather focus on the charms of this high energy, well-executed touring show, the choreography, the costumes and the performances, really got my attention.

The cast: Rachel Bahler – Eden, Michael Corvino – Nick Valenti, Jeffrey Brooks – Cheech, Hannah Rose Deflumeri – Ellen, Rick Grossman – Julian Marx, Jemma Jane – Olive Neal, Emma Stratton – Helen Sinclair, Michael Williams – David Shayne, Bradley Allan Zarr – Warner Purcell, Dance Captain.The ensemble did their part and were equally amazing. My favorite performances were by Michael Williams and Jeffrey Brooks. Michael Williams is a very physical actor with great comedic timing and Jeffrey Brooks turned his character into a mysterious sexy villain, which everyone wanted to get to know more about. The other cast members were terrific as well, but to me those two stole the show.

I just love the Pantages Theater, with its ornate interior; it is all about old Hollywood. I am always amazed when I look at the brilliant details of the auditorium. This landmark theater is celebrating 85 years of History in Hollywood.

Run don’t walk to see this spectacular romp into mobsters and showgirls, at The Pantages Theater, it ends on Jan. 24, 2016.

The Pantages Theater
6233 Hollywood Blvd.
Hollywood, CA 90028
http://bulletsoverbroadway.com/

[Show as slideshow]

What used to be Roche Winery has blossomed into a new concept that is sure to spread like wildfire through this wine area. Tasting great paired food with excellent wines will surely make you rethink any traditional wine tasting experience you have ever had, it takes the art of wine tasting to a whole new level.

I met Adam Betts at Pinot Days in Los Angeles in late November of 2015. We talked about my coming to Ram’s Gate and possible using these glorious wines for my cooking segments. What he did not tell me was that this tasting would be a game changer for my worldly wine experiences and me.

Ram’s Gate is so elegant, you really should get dressed up to wine taste, but on the other hand, it is a casual vibe with many upscale wine aficionados imbibing. They know what they are in for. There is no typical tasting bar, you sit down at a table like civilized people and all is served to you like a restaurant. At my tasting I had a private room with a view of the wetlands and was in such great hands with Zack Melendrez, lead sommelier. Zack is a storyteller and brought such great dimension to an all out stupendous day, cheers to you.

I had the “Palate Play”, which is the art of wine and food pairing for 2-6 guests. “It begins with the wine.” So states our Executive Chef Taylr Behnam, whose pairings are each crafted to bring out the best in its corresponding Ram’s Gate wine. This wine-focused design applies to every part of Ram’s Gate Winery. It is $90 per person but would be waived upon joining membership or with six-bottle purchase; the whole experience is around 90-120 minutes.

Here’s what I tried:

2013 Pinot Blanc, Ram’s Gate Estate Carneros – Asian pear salad, endive, tarragon, pickled quince, date, cider vinaigrette, sourdough. I just love anything Carneros, having lived up here for many years; I really appreciate this region for their outstanding grapes. This wine went perfect with the sweet pear and the tangy vinaigrette, what a great combo.

2012 Chardonnay, Hyde Vineyard Reserve Selection, Carneros, with seared scallop, cashew cream, citrus, crispy golden beet, smoked sea salt. This was my favorite pairing; the scallops were just perfect with the creamy buttery Chardonnay, what more could you ask for.

2012 Pinot Noir, Ram’s Gate Estate, with black truffle and mushroom arancini, black garlic aioli. There are very subtle nuances in this wine that add delightful notes to this succulent dish.

2012 Syrah, Durell Vineyard Sonoma Coast, with grilled short rib, Japanese sweet potato frites, pomegranate, bacon, za’atar aioli, parsley. This jammy big wine worked so brilliantly with the shortribs, truly genius at work.

“The best things in life don’t happen by accident. They require passion, attention and above all time. We’re crafting a winery of exception. One bottle at a time”, says, Jeff O’Neill Ram’s Gate Co-Owner.

Next time your doing some wine tasting in Sonoma Valley, Ram’s Gate is really a must do. It is so upscale but not snobby, and will show how things have changed, in a good way, in the art of tasting wine. I highly recommend this fantastic experience.

Ram’s Gate Winery
28700 Arnold Dr. Sonoma, CA. 95476
707-721-8700
Ramsgatewinery.com

[Show as slideshow]

Well to start off this review I have to say that Richard Park co-owner of Cathead’s BBQ is born on the same Birthday as me, January 10th. I don’t know the year, but the same day will do just fine. What does this tell me? Well it tells me that he is a really nice guy, smart, creative and an excellent businessman? With a shared Birthday, in my eyes he can do no wrong. And Cathead’s BBQ is real proof of that. It is just the most unique, best tasting BBQ you will ever have.

Richards’s roots are planted deep in Tennessee and with every bite you can almost feel the cool breezes back home in the flavors from his neck of the woods. They serve good country cooking and BBQ and use fresh ingredients from family recipes with love sprinkled into the mix. It’s an unbeatable combination with his wife as the pit master and all recipes made from scratch. I’m talking old generational recipes handed down; in my book nothing is better than that!

Richard calls his wife his blonde haired beauty, but Pam is much more then that. She is quiet, but you can tell that she rules the roost both at home and Cathead’s BBQ. The couple met in culinary school, and both came from rural backgrounds where the whole garden to table style of eating played a big part in their lives.

Cathead’s BBQ was formed in 2008 and their vision for the restaurant is to keep those deep-rooted traditions, recipes, and ideas from their childhood alive but with a fresh twist. That was so successful that by 2012 Pam and Richard took over a San Francisco BBQ landmark, Big Nate’s and if that wasn’t enough, they got married later that year to.

It’s word of mouth as far as people finding out about Cathead’s, which is good cause it keeps getting busier every year. They had 6 staff when they stared, now they have 18. Their customers are neighborhood folks and tech people, with a Zinga is opening up right down the street. Adding to this down home vibe they play old trucker type country western music…perfect!

Their BBQ pits were grandfathered in, and would be very hard to build now. They were installed right after the 1989 earthquake and would be impossible to move to another place. For you animal lovers not to worry, there are no cat’s involved here, the name Cathead’s comes from a cathead’s biscuit, which is a buttermilk biscuit as big as a cat’s head, it’s a Southern thing Yall!

Here’s what I tried:

They only serve house wines red & white but have a nice craft beer list, and the great sweet tea is something you have to try.

Mains:

Slow Smoked Pork Shoulder, delicious flavors in this dish, a real winner.

Sweet Tea Chicken, probably one of my favorite BBQ chicken dishes ever. The sauce is also to die for.

Coca-Cola Smoked Brisket, nice bark and great smoked flavor.

St Louis Cut Ribs, these ribs are what you for sure want to order, in all of their meaty goodness, they are the most tender ribs ever.

Sides:

Scalloped Sweet Potato’s, these potatoes are something else; it is really a game changer. Sweet potatoes are not usually an ingredient here with a scalloped potato dish, but this really works.

BBQ Baked Beans, what you would expect but just with a little more love added in.

Collard Greens, very southern and cooked the with nice seasonings.

Mustard Slaw, kind of tangy but really fantastic.

Mini Cathead Biscuits. Just dip these little wonders’ in all of the sauces.

Chef Richard Park:

Richard was born and raised in Cleveland, Tennessee, into a family that is deeply rooted in southern traditions, one of those being food. He has many memories of his mamaw making biscuits and gravy after church on Sundays, or going to the many BBQ’s and potlucks at his Aunt and Uncles. These are the foundations on which he has based his passion for food. In December of 1995 Richard moved from Cleveland to the Bay Area to explore life away from the South. He bought his first BBQ smoker in 2002 with dreams of owning his own business. After practicing for months and months, Richard decided to take his passion to the next level and enrolled in culinary school. He yearned for the education that would ready him for his dream. Upon graduating, Richard worked doing catering and in various fine dining, casual restaurants. He participated in the Food Network’s show “Chopped”, his episode was called “Grilltastic”.

Chef Pamela Schafer:

Pam was born and raised in rural Michigan. Year after year she helped her family plant gardens with many fruits and vegetables that they preserved for the winters. They also raised animals, including cattle, pigs, and chickens. This lifestyle inspired her to pursue her dream of becoming a chef. In 2004, after working in state government for ten years, Pam moved to San Francisco and entered a culinary arts program. She began working as a prep cook at Ella’s restaurant. She was excited to work in energetic, creative kitchens where she could share her passion for food with others and learn more about organic foods and seasonal ingredients. Pam later continued her work at San Francisco restaurants, including Acquerello, Incanto, Ducca, and Cane Rosso. At each restaurant she had the opportunity to learn and grow from some of the most prestigious chefs in the city.

I just loved their food and their concept of giving the customer “a lot of bang for your buck”. It is just great over the top BBQ, with all the bells and whistles. Look out San Francisco, Cathead’s BBQ is here to stay!

Cathead’s BBQ
1665 Folsom St.
San Francisco, CA
Phone: (415) 861-4242
http://catheadsbbq.com/

*note: some content taken directly from restaurant website.

[Show as slideshow]