Monday, November 30, 2015

11/30 GIFT INSIDER LINDSAY ROBERTS, AVERYL DUNN, WASHINGTON STATE WINE

THE GIFT INSIDER LINDSAY ROBERTS - TOP DEALS AND GIFTS TO LOOK FOR THIS CYBER MONDAY

EXPERTS PREDICT THAT ONLINE SALES WILL JUMP SEVEN PERCENT THIS YEAR TO MORE THAN 83-BILLION DOLLARS, AND THAT TODAY -- CYBER MONDAY -- CONSUMERS COULD SPEND A RECORD THREE-BILLION DOLLARS.

This year, Cyber Monday is again expected to set new records as the busiest internet shopping day in history. With less time to surf for your gifts, the key is to have a plan and a strategy to choose gifts that your family, friends and co-workers will love! Lindsay Roberts of TheGiftInsider.com explainS the basic rules for choosing meaningful gifts and she’ll provide some timely suggestions. You’ve seen Lindsay on gifting segments on all the networks, and her advice makes her a favorite for the network morning shows. Lindsay loves sharing her gift-giving knowledge, and her passion for helping people shows in every interview.

THEGIFTINSIDER.COM 
WWW.TIPSONTV.COM

 
AVERYL DUNN - COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER, WASHINGTON STATE WINE – HOLIDAY HAPPENINGS

The Washington State Wine Commission represents every licensed winery and every wine grape grower in Washington State. Guided by an appointed board, the Commission provides a marketing platform to raise positive awareness of the Washington State wine industry and generate greater demand for its wines. Funded almost entirely by the industry - through assessments based on grape and wine sales - the Commission is a state government agency, established by the legislature in 1987.

MISSION STATEMENT
On behalf of the state of Washington and its wineries and growers, the mission of the Washington State Wine Commission is to raise awareness and demand for Washington State wine through marketing and education while supporting viticulture and enology research to drive industry growth.

WASHINGTONWINE.ORG

Friday, November 27, 2015

11/27 BEN LYONS, DANNY LIPFORD, JOAN LAWRENCE, CHEF TOM COLICCHIO, STEVE EVANS

MOVIE & HOME ENTERTAINMENT EXPERT BEN LYONS - GREAT MOVIES & TV SHOWS TO WATCH WITH THE FAMILY OVER THE THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY

Ben Lyons is a Television, Radio, and Online host and producer who covers pop culture like nobody else. Each month with his DEN (Digital Entertainment News) segment, Ben highlights the latest Blu-ray and Digital HD releases and the best ways to watch them.

Ben will highlight some great movie and television titles avaiable on Blu-ray and Digital that you can watch with the whole family over the Thanksgiving Holiday.  Ben will also discuss other recent Blu-ray Digital HD releases and the best ways to watch them, and discuss getting a start on your holiday shopping on Black Friday, a great time to find deals on new 4K TV’s.

Ben is a special correspondent on EXTRA and regular contributor for ESPN LA radio. He is also the host of The Sidebar on Yahoo, an in-depth interview series featuring the biggest names in Movies, TV, Music, and Fashion. Ben is the lead host on Yahoo's LIVE movie premiere and awards show coverage. He reviews movies on Mario Lopez’s national radio show  and has recently, been on The View, Wendy Williams, ESPN's SportsNation, On Air with Ryan Seacrest, Good Morning America, and The Artie Lange Show. Previously he appeared on the E! Network and E! News as their lead film correspondent and movie critic. Ben’s latest venture is as chief correspondent and “voice of the fans” at Derek Jeter’s theplayerstribune.com and host of The Players Tribune on SiriusXM radio.  Born and raised in New York City, Ben is the grandson of legendary New York Post columnist Leonard Lyons, and is the son of film and theater critic Jeffrey Lyons. The Lyons family has been covering pop culture in American media for more than 80 years.


HOME IMPROVEMENT EXPERT DANNY LIPFORD SHARES EASY TIPS ON HOW TO GIVE YOUR HOME A HOLIDAY FACE-LIFT

The flights have been booked and there’s no turning back- your home is the host for this year’s holiday festivities. There is no better time than now to make your home a holiday haven for your guests all season long. The feeling can be overwhelming but it doesn’t have to be!

From quick cosmetic fixes in your bathroom to unfinished projects your kitchen; you can get it all done and still have time to kick back, relax and enjoy the time with your friends and family. Home Improvement Expert Danny Lipford is here sharing his most simple and inexpensive ideas to help you improve your home for this holiday season and all year round!

Danny Lipford is a veteran remodeling contractor and television personality known to audiences as Host of the Emmy-Nominated and nationally-syndicated home improvement TV and radio shows: Today’s Homeowner with Danny Lipford. Danny served as the home improvement expert for CBS’s The Early Show and The Weather Channel for more than a decade, and has made more than 160 national television appearances. Danny has been a longtime contributor to Better Homes & Gardens Magazine and BHG.com, and is a source for hundreds of other popular magazines and websites each year.

WWW.TODAYSHOMEOWNER.COM


JOAN LAWRENCE FROM THE TOY INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION (TIA)WILL SEPARATE FACT FROM FICTION WHEN IT COMES TO THIS YEARS’ SELECTION 

Fall is in full swing and the holiday season is around the corner! As wish lists begin to grow, shoppers need to not only look out for toys that top the list, but also need to be sure their selections are safe for the kids on their shopping list.  

ABOUT JOAN
Joan Lawrence - As Toy Industry Association (TIA) Vice President of Safety Standards and Regulatory Affairs, Joan Lawrence manages TIA’s product safety programs encompassing the development of safety standards as well as industry and consumer safety education.  Her experience and leadership within the industry spans a broad range of issues – from product safety and quality to environmental and other corporate social responsibility initiatives.

Joan is an advocate for uniform toy safety standards and leads an expert committee that oversees and develops the US safety standards for toys -- working with medical and child development experts, engineers and toy designers, government, industry, and consumer representatives -- to ensure that our US standards are among the toughest in the world.

A lifelong child safety advocate, Joan is the daughter of a prominent pediatrician and, herself, a mother of three young children . . . making her commitment to toy safety much more than a job.

WWW.TOYASSOCIATION.ORG



FOOD WASTE ACTIVIST CHEF TOM COLICCHIO TALKS ABOUT THE TASTE NOT WASTE CAMPAIGN - RAISE AWARENESS FOR FOOD WASTE IN AMERICA

Food waste activist, chef Tom Colicchio continues his ongoing efforts to raise awareness for food waste in America, which is especially high over the holidays, he’s joined the Taste Not Waste campaign. The U.S. generates an extra 5 million tons of household waste each year between Thanksgiving and the New Year – three times as much as at other times of the year. As families begin to prepare their holiday menus, veggies will undoubtedly be a part of side and main dishes, but fruits and vegetables remain the second most wasted food in American homes.
One easy way to combat this is to embrace less-than-perfect veggies. The standards for which produce makes it to the store is loosely regulated, meaning a lot of what is produced by farms, goes to waste. The USDA recently set a goal to reduce food waste by 50 percent by 2030, but an estimated six billion pounds of fruits and vegetables are wasted every year in the U.S. because they are “ugly.” Tom is supporting taking a stand to address the food waste problem head on by moving those wilted, weird, whole and (un)wanted veggies to the center of the plate.

Tom has partnered with Hidden Valley in support of the Taste Not Waste campaign to take a stand to address the food waste problem head on by moving those wilted, weird, whole and (un)wanted veggies to the center of the plate. For more info, as well as tips and techniques for simple changes anyone can make at home visit TasteNotWaste.com.

People can also get involved by posting a photo of how they are fighting food waste at home and using all parts of the veggie with #TasteNotWaste and Hidden Valley will donate $1 to Great Nations Eat. In support of the Taste Not Waste campaign, Hidden Valley created a limited edition bottle for sale exclusively on eBay featuring imperfect veggies on the iconic label. On sale through the end of the year, all proceeds will benefit Great Nations Eat.

ABOUT TOM:
Thomas Patrick "Tom" Colicchio (/kɵˈliːkjoʊ/; born August 15, 1962) is an American celebrity chef. He co-founded the Gramercy Tavern in New York City, and formerly served as a co-owner and as the executive chef. He is also the founder of Craft and Colicchio & Sons restaurants. Colicchio is the recipient of five James Beard Foundation Awards for cooking accomplishments.

He has been the head judge on every season of Bravo reality TV show Top Chef as well asBest New Restaurant which he also executive produces.[2] Colicchio has also been a featured chef on Great Chefs shows.

TasteNotWaste.com


STEVE EVANS – THE MOVIE GUY

GREAT MOVIES OPENING THIS WEEKEND AND BOX OFFICE PREDICTIONS AND HOPES. FIND OUT WHAT MOVIES ARE WORTH YOUR HARD EARNED MONEY. GET SET FOR THE WEEKEND.

Thursday, November 26, 2015

11/26 DANIEL SIEBERG, GOOGLE TRENDS, MARGE KLINDERA, BUTTERBALL TURKEY TALK LINE, KATIE WORKMAN

DANIEL SIEBERG, GOOGLE TRENDS EXPERT - GOOGLE REVEALS THANKSGIVING TRENDS AND TRAVEL TIPS

Trends Expert Provides Insight into the Most Popular Thanksgiving Customs and How to Navigate the Highway Stuffing or dressing, puh-kahn or pee-can pie, deep fried or roasted turkey? For the first time ever, Google is answering these questions and more with Thanksgivings trends. Find out the most popular – and maybe surprising – Thanksgiving recipes and other fascinating trends for your city.

In addition to Thanksgiving trends, Google can help you get you through the Thanksgiving travel rush, based on historical and real-time traffic information. With Thanksgiving being the top travel holiday of the year, Google offers insight into the best and worst days to leave during Thanksgiving week, the ideal times to drive on the holiday, the cities that have the worst traffic, and which destinations are the busiest during Thanksgiving and Black Friday.

MARGE KLINDERA – BUTTERBALL TURKEY TALK LINE EXPERT

Each Thanksgiving for the last 30+ years, the Turkey Talk Line fields thousands of consumer calls with questions from basic turkey 101 – like  thawing and basting the bird -  to SOS emergency calls hours before the Thanksgiving meal.

This year, the Talk Line is giving new meaning to the popular #TBT (which means ‘throw back Thursday’ if you didn’t know) with a special Thursday edition - “Throwback Thanksgiving” - asking everyone to share nostalgic Thanksgiving memories this holiday season. The experts are also digging into the Talk Line archives for never before seen photos, archived recipes and their most memorable calls since the 1980’s.

MARGE WILL TALK ABOUT

  • Tried-and-True, “Turkey 101”: tips on holiday meal prep
  • Turkey Then & Now: how the Thanksgiving table has changed over the decades
  • Most Memorable Calls:  as Talk Line experts dig into the archives they’ll throwback to some of their most memorable calls

1-800-BUTTERBALL (1-800-288-8372)
WWW.BUTTERBALL.COM


COOKBOOK AUTHOR AND MOM KATIE WORKMAN SHARES HER SECRETS & SHORTCUTS FOR A DELICIOUS SPIN ON YOUR FAVORITE HOLIDAY MEALS

Busy parents everywhere know that the holidays can be the most stressful time of year. Between decorating your home, gift shopping and planning meals for family and guests, parents really do it all this time of year. But, you don't have to get lost in the hustle and bustle of this hectic holiday season!

With some easy time-saving shortcuts using frozen and refrigerated staples, you can get it all done and still put a delicious meal on the table every single night. The National Frozen and Refrigerated Foods Association (NFRA) has teamed up with cookbook author Katie Workman to share the best meal hacks and seasonal tips to help you craft delicious and creative dishes that are simple and convenient – perfect for weeknight meals and holiday gatherings throughout the season.

ABOUT KATIE WORKMAN:
Katie Workman is the author of Dinner Solved! and The Mom 100 Cookbook. She is also the founding editor in chief of Cookstr.com; a regular contributor to NPR; columnist for the Associated Press and Eating Well magazine, and a food writer whose articles have appeared in The Wall Street Journal, Everyday with Rachael Ray, New York magazine, The Daily Beast, AARP.com, and many others. She also posts regularly on her blog, themom100.com. She sits on the board of City Harvest, New York’s leading food rescue nonprofit, and lives with her husband and two children in New York City.

WWW.EASYHOMEMEALS.COM 

Wednesday, November 25, 2015

11/25 LARRY LIPSON, BEAGLE BRODSKY, WILLIE BIRD TURKEYS, STEVE EVANS

LARRY LIPSON – AFFORDABLE WINE REPORT      

For fifty years Larry Lipson was the food critic for the Los Angeles Daily News and now reports from Florida weekly with his thoughts and favorite picks for Food & Wine.  His lovely Wife Lillian is also on hand at the Lipson Institute for advanced wine studies.


BEAGLE BRODSKY - MANAGER, WILLIE BIRD TURKEYS

One day the Queen of England wanted smoked duck – at least, the people who serve her food did. When the Royal Yacht, Britannica, pulled into San Francisco Bay, the caterer for the royal, on-board feast knew exactly who to call to meet their needs – Willie Bird Turkeys in Sonoma, California.

Here at Willie Bird’s, we use nothing but the highest quality poultry. First, we wet cure it in a mild, low-salt marinade; conceived of special oils and spices, where it is then aged to perfection. Next, we smoke it over natural wood (sweet maple hardwoods). It is during this process that it absorbs the depth and character of flavor that has become the famous Willie Bird trademark. All of our smoked products are fully cooked, immediately cooled, and vacuum-sealed so that they will remain fresh for a minimum of 6 to 8 weeks. If not used in this time period the product can be frozen for up to six months.

Our smoked products are shipped fresh/chilled to retain flavor and texture. They are shelf stable which is why we recommend shipping second day air, just refrigerate upon delivery. This is why we control the entire process of procuring meats, seasoning them, smoking them, vacuum sealing them, and shipping them from our USDA approved plant in Sonoma. Offering superior quality is the driving force behind Willie Bird Turkeys.

The result of our “commitment to control” allows us to produce a meat product that is smooth and mild-flavored; a delight even to the most discriminate palate.

Our smoked poultry is featured on the main menu of first class hotels, restaurants, deli’s, and airlines as well as in gourmet food catalogs (Williams-Sonoma, etc.)

WWW.WILLIEBIRD.COM


STEVE EVANS – THE MOVIE GUY

GREAT MOVIES OPENING THIS WEEKEND AND BOX OFFICE PREDICTIONS AND HOPES. FIND OUT WHAT MOVIES ARE WORTH YOUR HARD EARNED MONEY. GET SET FOR THE WEEKEND.

Tuesday, November 24, 2015

11/24 DANIEL SIEBERG, GOOGLE TRENDS, LIMOR SUSS

DANIEL SIEBERG, GOOGLE TRENDS EXPERT - GOOGLE REVEALS THANKSGIVING TRENDS AND TRAVEL TIPS

Trends Expert Provides Insight into the Most Popular Thanksgiving Customs and How to Navigate the Highway Stuffing or dressing, puh-kahn or pee-can pie, deep fried or roasted turkey? For the first time ever, Google is answering these questions and more with Thanksgivings trends. Find out the most popular – and maybe surprising – Thanksgiving recipes and other fascinating trends for your city.

In addition to Thanksgiving trends, Google can help you get you through the Thanksgiving travel rush, based on historical and real-time traffic information. With Thanksgiving being the top travel holiday of the year, Google offers insight into the best and worst days to leave during Thanksgiving week, the ideal times to drive on the holiday, the cities that have the worst traffic, and which destinations are the busiest during Thanksgiving and Black Friday.


BEST HOLIDAY GIFTS WITH LIMOR SUSS - HOW TO CHOOSE THE BEST GIFTS AND BE A HOLIDAY HERO

Does this sound like your usual holiday nightmare? You spend hours riding the escalator up and down in your local mega-mall. You wanted aimlessly through the aisles, unsure of what exactly it is you’re looking for. You look all over but just can’t seem to find the perfect gift for that special someone!  What if there was someone to give you the low-down on the hottest gifts this holiday season?  What if you had help getting the one gift someone didn’t even know they wanted? What if you could pick up the present that would make you the holiday hero this year? Lifestyle expert and Millennial Mom Limor Suss will is talking the best gifts on the market this year and has some great gift-giving strategies you’ll need to to come out on top this year in the gift giving department!

ABOUT LIMOR
Limor Suss has been seen around the country giving her latest trend picks on both local and national shows including GMA, Dr. Oz, Fox and Friends, Better TV, CBS’s on the Couch, New York Live and more! Limor has also been quoted in various news sources including the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Washington Post, Mashable & The Next Web. She can be seen on her weekly product-pick segment on the PIX11 morning news in NY City.

Monday, November 23, 2015

11/23 PATRICK HEYMANN, SWISS INTERNATIONAL AIR LINES, PATRICK HICKEY, RAO'S HOLLYWOOD

PATRICK HEYMANN - SR. DIRECTOR, SWISS INTERNATIONAL AIR LINES 

SWISS is the national airline of Switzerland. It serves over 106 destinations all over the world from Zurich and Geneva. SWISS is part of the Lufthansa Group and a member of the Star Alliance.

SWISS INTERNATIONAL AIR LINES
Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) is the national airline of Switzerland. It serves 106 destinations in 49 countries all over the world from Zurich and Geneva. With a fleet of 95 aircraft, SWISS transports in the region of 16 million passengers every year.
Swiss WorldCargo offers a comprehensive airport-to-airport service for high-quality goods and intensive-care freight to some 120 destinations in more than 80 countries.

As the national airline, SWISS stands for Switzerland's traditional values and is committed to the highest standards of product and service quality. In 2014, SWISS had a total revenue of CHF 5.2 billion with 8245 members of staff.

SWISS.COM


PATRICK HICKEY - GENERAL MANAGER, RAO'S HOLLYWOOD – HOLIDAY DINING

OUR STORY
TRADITION AND RITUAL ARE THE HEART AND SOUL OF ITALIAN CUISINE. SINCE 1896 THE RAO'S FAMILY HAS BELIEVED IN SHARING THOSE TRADITIONS. WE INVITE YOU TO TAKE PART IN SHARING- WITH US AND WITH EACH OTHER—THE RAO'S FAMILY WAY OF FEASTING. IF YOU FOLLOW ALONG WITH OUR MENU, YOU WILL EXPERIENCE RITUALS VINCENT RAO AND ANNE PELLEGRINO HAVE PASSED TO OUR GENERATION. WITH THE HELP OF YOUR SERVER, ENJOY THE MOST IMPORTANT INGREDIENTS IN YOUR DINING EXPERIENCE: FOOD, FRIENDS, AND FAMILY. WE PROMISE THAT YOU WILL NOT ONLY LEAVE FULL BUT FULFILLED.

THE HISTORY
RAO'S NEW YORK IS A CULINARY NATIONAL TREASURE. WIDELY ACCLAIMED FOR ITS AUTHENTIC, SOUTHERN NEAPOLITAN ITALIAN COOKING AND ITS HOME-STYLE FAMILY AMBIANCE, RAO'S WAS HONORED WITH A PINNACLE THREE STARS FROM NEW YORK TIMES RESTAURANT CRITIC MIMI SHERATON DESCRIBING THE CUISINE AS "EXQUISITELY SIMPLE ITALIAN COOKING."

OPENED IN 1896, THE RESTAURANT IS CELEBRATED AS ONE OF THE COUNTRIES' OLDEST FAMILY OWNED AND OPERATED RESTAURANTS RUNNING IN ITS ORIGINAL LOCATION. HANDING DOWN CHERISHED PELLEGRINO AND RAO TRADITIONS AS ITS MAIN INGREDIENTS, THE RAO'S MENU PAIRS GENERATIONS OF AUTHENTICITY AND LOVE WITH FRESHNESS AND FLAVOR.

ALL LOCATIONS, NEW YORK, LAS VEGAS AND LOS ANGELES, SERVE AND SATIATE SOME OF THE MOST POWERFUL APPETITES IN THE WORLD. AT THE NEW YORK LOCATION, THE LIST OF REGULARS READS LIKE THE "WHO'S WHO" OF NEW YORK COGNOSCENTI, INCLUDING WOODY ALLEN, BILLY CRYSTAL, ROB REINER, NICHOLAS PILEGGI AND DANNY AIELLO. LEGIONS OF POLITICIANS, SPORTS FIGURES AND MATINEE IDOLS HAVE JOCKEYED FOR A RESERVATION. THERE, DINING AT RAO'S IS A LEGENDARY EXPERIENCE SO BELOVED THAT GETTING A SEAT IS ONLY POSSIBLE IF YOU ARE A REGULAR AND HAVE, "TABLE RIGHTS," OR IF YOU'RE LUCKY ENOUGH TO BE INVITED AS A GUEST BY SOMEONE WHO DOES. IN LAS VEGAS, YOU ARE LUCKY ENOUGH TO BE OUR GUEST. FROM OUR FAMILY TO YOURS, WE INVITE YOU TO SIT BACK AND RELAX WHILE FILLING YOURSELF WITH MORE THAN FOOD. CHEERS!

RAOSRESTAURANTS.COM

Friday, November 20, 2015

11/20 HEATHER MURAN, SAN LUIS OBISPO WINE COUNTRY, RICK HODGES, TUBS FINE CHILI, STEVE EVENS

HEATHER MURAN – EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, SAN LUIS OBISPO WINE COUNTRY – HOLIDAY HAPPENINGS

The wineries of SLO Wine Country boast an average distance of just five miles from the Pacific Ocean, resulting in prevailing marine conditions that are among the most pronounced of any wine region in California.

SLO Wine Country includes two small adjoining American Viticultural Areas—the Edna Valley and Arroyo Grande Valley—and other nearby winegrowing areas.  Each of these areas shares a unifying proximity to the ocean, as well as to each other. Collectively, these growing conditions forge a unifying wine quality that is native to SLO Wine Country:

Cool
The reliable cooling effect of the nearby Pacific Ocean ensures a long growing season, enabling the grapes to achieve physiological ripeness and natural balance. Cool-climate varietals such as Chardonnay and Pinot Noir excel in the heart of SLO Wine Country, and even the warmest areas benefit from considerable marine influence.  

Consistent
The ocean proximity also exerts a moderating effect on the climate, minimizing temperature swings so that growing conditions are rarely hot or cold. The result is an extraordinarily steady growing season that fosters balanced ripening and consistent quality from vintage to vintage.

Complex
The imprint of the ocean is also evident in SLO Wine Country's uncommonly complex soils, which are frequently riddled with ancient sea fossils. Soil variation enables the winegrower to mix and match varietals to specific soil profiles, or to add more "colors" to the palette of a single varietal, heightening overall quality and complexity.

WWW.SLOWINE.COM


RICK HODGES - OWNER OF “TUBS FINE CHILI”

A Fresh Take on an American Classic. It's all about CHILI!

Ranging from beef to vegan, we offer seven distinct chili varieties daily. Customize your perfect meal with plenty of fresh fixin's, tasty tub options and creative sides. Add a lil' spice to your life with our housemade sauces and spicy condiments. No trip to TubTown is complete without experiencing our original Chili Dingo - a spiral cut, beef hotdog on a fried cornbread bun! So grab your posse and head on over to the wild west(side) to experience true home cooked flavor, served up fast & friendly!
Owners Rick & Margie Hodges are Southern California natives whose family roots have called Culver City home for several generations. The inspiration for Tub's Fine Chili comes from their love of homemade meals with family and friends, and their frequent visits to the historic gold country of the Sierra Nevada foothills.

Aside from being a passionate chili maker, Rick has been a life-long entrepreneur and successful businessman who has always loved to create something from an idea. Margie's customer service background, friendly smile and genuine love of people keep customers coming back for more than just the food. Along with their friendly posse, Rancher Rick & BossMama will make you feel right at home, each and every visit.

With rotating seasonal chilies, creative and tasty comfort food at a fair price is what makes Tub's a year-round favorite eatery.
 Come hungry, y'all!

WWW.TUBSCHILI.COM


STEVE EVANS – THE MOVIE GUY

GREAT MOVIES OPENING THIS WEEKEND AND BOX OFFICE PREDICTIONS AND HOPES. FIND OUT WHAT MOVIES ARE WORTH YOUR HARD EARNED MONEY. GET SET FOR THE WEEKEND.

Thursday, November 19, 2015

11/19 ENTERTAINMENT EXPERT BEN LYONS, JASON HAYES, DEUTSCH FAMILY WINE & SPIRITS, BEAUJOLAIS NOUVEAU DAY

MOVIE & HOME ENTERTAINMENT EXPERT BEN LYONS - GREAT MOVIES & TV SHOWS TO WATCH WITH THE FAMILY OVER THE THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY

Ben Lyons is a Television, Radio, and Online host and producer who covers pop culture like nobody else. Each month with his DEN (Digital Entertainment News) segment, Ben highlights the latest Blu-ray and Digital HD releases and the best ways to watch them.

Ben will highlight some great movie and television titles avaiable on Blu-ray and Digital that you can watch with the whole family over the Thanksgiving Holiday.  Ben will also discuss other recent Blu-ray Digital HD releases and the best ways to watch them, and discuss getting a start on your holiday shopping on Black Friday, a great time to find deals on new 4K TV’s.

Ben is a special correspondent on EXTRA and regular contributor for ESPN LA radio. He is also the host of The Sidebar on Yahoo, an in-depth interview series featuring the biggest names in Movies, TV, Music, and Fashion. Ben is the lead host on Yahoo's LIVE movie premiere and awards show coverage. He reviews movies on Mario Lopez’s national radio show  and has recently, been on The View, Wendy Williams, ESPN's SportsNation, On Air with Ryan Seacrest, Good Morning America, and The Artie Lange Show. Previously he appeared on the E! Network and E! News as their lead film correspondent and movie critic. Ben’s latest venture is as chief correspondent and “voice of the fans” at Derek Jeter’s theplayerstribune.com and host of The Players Tribune on SiriusXM radio.  Born and raised in New York City, Ben is the grandson of legendary New York Post columnist Leonard Lyons, and is the son of film and theater critic Jeffrey Lyons. The Lyons family has been covering pop culture in American media for more than 80 years.


JASON HAYES – DISTRICT MANAGER SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, DEUTSCH FAMILY WINE & SPIRITS - BEAUJOLAIS NOUVEAU DAY! 

About Deutsch Family Wine & Spirits: Initially called W.J. Deutsch & Sons, Ltd., the company was founded in 1981 by Chairman Bill Deutsch to market quality wines produced by prestigious families from major wine regions of the world. In 2009, it announced the expansion of the award-winning company to include a Spirits Portfolio. Today the company is renowned for its brand building prowess and its ability to meet the needs of the modern consumer. Bill's son Peter Deutsch is CEO; thus two generations of the Deutsch family work side by side in their continuous quest to build strong brands and relationships throughout the wine and spirits industry.

The portfolio includes award-winning wines from Australia: [ yellow tail ], [ yellow tail ] The Reserve, [ yellow tail ] Bubbles; California: Cigar Zin, Eppa SupraFruta Sangria, Girard Winery, Kunde Family Estate, Joseph Carr, Josh Cellars, Flirt, The Calling; France: Andre Lurton, Georges Duboeuf, Hob Nob Vineyards, Sauvion et Fils, Vidal- Fleury; Italy: Barone Fini,, Villa Pozzi; New Zealand: The Crossings; Portugal: Quinta Do Vale Meao; Spain: Mar De Frades, Cruz de Alba, and Ramon Bilbao Vinos Y Vinedo; Argentina: Ruta 22, and award-winning spirits from LUKSUSOWA Vodka (Poland), VILLA MASSA® Limoncello (Italy) and LICOR 43® (Spain).

2015 GEORGES DUBOEUF BEAUJOLAIS NOUVEAU 
There is a real excitement surrounding the quality of this year’s new vintage. Thanks to ample sunshine throughout the summer and a particularly early harvest season, grapes have obtained ideal maturity. George Duboeuf and his winemaking team believe this 2015 vintage will be one of the best they’ve ever produced.

You’ll see that the wine’s colors are a beautiful red with tones of purple and deep garnet. The aromas consist of a magnificent array of forest fruits like black current, blackberry and blueberry. On the palate, the wine is round, full-bodied and silky.
The 2015 vintage will be available nationwide for a suggested retail price of $10.99. It pairs beautifully with a range of foods, from casual dishes to holiday specialties like turkey and ham.

WWW.DEUTSCHFAMILY.COM

Wednesday, November 18, 2015

11/18 LARRY LIPSON, BILL DAVIDSON, HARLEY-DAVIDSON, KATIE WORKMAN

LARRY LIPSON – AFFORDABLE WINE REPORT      

For fifty years Larry Lipson was the food critic for the Los Angeles Daily News and now reports from Florida weekly with his thoughts and favorite picks for Food & Wine.  His lovely Wife Lillian is also on hand at the Lipson Institute for advanced wine studies.


BILL DAVIDSON - THANKING THOSE WHO PROTECT AND SERVE: HARLEY-DAVIDSON OFFERS FREE RIDING ACADEMY MOTORCYCLE TRAINING TO ALL FIRST RESPONDERS 

Leading up to Thanksgiving, Harley-Davidson is announcing the expansion of free Riding Academy motorcycle training to all first responders from Jan 1 to Dec 31, 2016. Now police officers, firefighters and EMS professionals can experience the freedom of the open road for themselves.  To unveil the Ride Free offer, Harley-Davidson employees across the country volunteered at local firehouses and police stations in Kansas City, Milwaukee, San Diego, Wichita and York, Pennsylvania. At the events, employees washed police motorcycles and fire trucks and served lunch to first responders.

This announcement comes on the heels of the year-long extension of “Operation Personal Freedom: Ride Free,” the offer of free Riding Academy motorcycle training to all current and former U.S. military.

First responders can learn more about the offer by visiting a local Harley-Davidson dealer or going to www.h-d.com/AmericanHeroes. If Riding Academy is not available in a particular area, Harley-Davidson will reimburse the expense of attending a certified motorcycle safety program.

About Harley-Davidson Motor Company:  
Harley-Davidson Motor Company produces custom, cruiser and touring motorcycles and offers a complete line of Harley-Davidson® motorcycle parts, accessories, riding gear and apparel, and general merchandise. For more information, visit Harley-Davidson's website at www.h-d.com.

WWW.H-D.COM


COOKBOOK AUTHOR AND MOM KATIE WORKMAN SHARES HER SECRETS & SHORTCUTS FOR A DELICIOUS SPIN ON YOUR FAVORITE HOLIDAY MEALS

Busy parents everywhere know that the holidays can be the most stressful time of year. Between decorating your home, gift shopping and planning meals for family and guests, parents really do it all this time of year. But, you don't have to get lost in the hustle and bustle of this hectic holiday season!

With some easy time-saving shortcuts using frozen and refrigerated staples, you can get it all done and still put a delicious meal on the table every single night. The National Frozen and Refrigerated Foods Association (NFRA) has teamed up with cookbook author Katie Workman to share the best meal hacks and seasonal tips to help you craft delicious and creative dishes that are simple and convenient – perfect for weeknight meals and holiday gatherings throughout the season.

ABOUT KATIE WORKMAN:
Katie Workman is the author of Dinner Solved! and The Mom 100 Cookbook. She is also the founding editor in chief of Cookstr.com; a regular contributor to NPR; columnist for the Associated Press and Eating Well magazine, and a food writer whose articles have appeared in The Wall Street Journal, Everyday with Rachael Ray, New York magazine, The Daily Beast, AARP.com, and many others. She also posts regularly on her blog, themom100.com. She sits on the board of City Harvest, New York’s leading food rescue nonprofit, and lives with her husband and two children in New York City.

WWW.EASYHOMEMEALS.COM 

Tuesday, November 17, 2015

11/17 KAREN SCHALER, HOME IMPROVEMENT EXPERT DANNY LIPFORD, BILL RANCIC

EMMY-AWARD WINNING AUTHOR KAREN SCHALER SHARES HER SECRETS FOR GETTING THE BEST DEALS & AVOIDING “SOME” OF THE PITFALLS OF TRAVELING

A timely new survey shows that 44% of those surveyed lost their tempers and one-third have even YELLED at a stranger during past trips. This new survey from Homewood Suites by Hilton and Home2 Suites by Hilton showed that one of the best ways to relieve the stress of holiday travel is to not stay with relatives. Also, 46% of respondents noted they purposefully spent time somewhere else instead of meeting with relatives soon.

Fortunately, we have the perfect expert with time timely advice on how to reduce the stress of traveling. Karen Schaler has traveled to more than 60 countries as the author of the empowering book Travel Therapy: Where do you need to go? She’s also hosted a national travel show on ABC called TRAVEL NOW and has made appearances on the Today Show, MSNBC, Fox and Friends and dozens of national media where she helps vacation-starved consumers choose the best trips “based on what you’re going through in life.” Find out why American’s simply aren’t taking their vacation days because of travel stress, and what they can do to reduce travel-related stress.

ABOUT KAREN SCHALER:
Three-time Emmy award-winning national TV host/correspondent, Karen Schaler,  is the creator and host of the TRAVEL THERAPY TV segments seen across America on top ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX and CW stations on OK! TV and on ABC in New York City, on WABC-TV, during Good Morning America Weekends and Rachael Ray.

After several years of hosting ABC’s national travel show and traveling to more than sixty countries Schaler launched her own inspiring and empowering TRAVEL THERAPY TV segments featuring top trips to take based on what you’re going through in life inspired by her  groundbreaking travel book TRAVEL THERAPY – Where Do You Need to Go?

Schaler’s TRAVEL THERAPY video series has also been named one of AOL’s Featured Partners for providing premier travel & lifestyle content on AOL and Huffington Post where the Travel Therapy videos are syndicated to more than 200 editorial outlets around the world.  Look for the Travel Therapy logo & link to the video series on AOL’s travel pages.

With more than a decade of national and international TV reporting, hosting, anchoring, producing and writing experience, Schaler is sought after lifestyle and travel expert, spokesperson and keynote speaker and has appeared on top network television and radio shows including: NBC’s Today, Good Morning America, Fox & Friends, Inside Edition, Fox’s America’s News HQ, ABC News Now, MSNBC’s Countdown, CNN, Martha Stewart Living Radio and the BBC.

WWW.HOMEWOODSUITES.COM 
WWW.HOME2SUITES.COM


HOME IMPROVEMENT EXPERT DANNY LIPFORD SHARES EASY TIPS ON HOW TO GIVE YOUR HOME A HOLIDAY FACE-LIFT

The flights have been booked and there’s no turning back- your home is the host for this year’s holiday festivities. There is no better time than now to make your home a holiday haven for your guests all season long. The feeling can be overwhelming but it doesn’t have to be!

From quick cosmetic fixes in your bathroom to unfinished projects your kitchen; you can get it all done and still have time to kick back, relax and enjoy the time with your friends and family. Home Improvement Expert Danny Lipford is here sharing his most simple and inexpensive ideas to help you improve your home for this holiday season and all year round!

Danny Lipford is a veteran remodeling contractor and television personality known to audiences as Host of the Emmy-Nominated and nationally-syndicated home improvement TV and radio shows: Today’s Homeowner with Danny Lipford. Danny served as the home improvement expert for CBS’s The Early Show and The Weather Channel for more than a decade, and has made more than 160 national television appearances. Danny has been a longtime contributor to Better Homes & Gardens Magazine and BHG.com, and is a source for hundreds of other popular magazines and websites each year.

WWW.TODAYSHOMEOWNER.COM


BILL RANCIC TEAMS UP WITH INTUIT QUICKBOOKS TO HELP SMALL BUSINESSES SUCCEED & TO ANNOUNCE TOP FINALISTS OF A BIG GAME CONTEST 

What makes a small business successful? It’s a question facing many Americans, since small businesses are the lifeblood of the US economy. In fact, small businesses have delivered 60 percent of net new jobs since the end of the recession in mid-2013. Despite this, one in two small businesses fail in the first five years, and two of three fail in the first ten. That’s why entrepreneur Bill Rancic is teaming with Intuit QuickBooks to provide help, encouragement and a formula for success for small businesses. On November 13th, Rancic will discuss an exciting campaign designed to show small business owners how to achieve their goals. He’ll also cite some great examples of several small businesses that were chosen from thousands who entered and are finalists in a special contest to win a free 30-second ad worth millions that will air during the biggest game of the year. Your viewers and listeners will enjoy hearing the amazing stories of these unique small businesses. For more information, visit: smallbusinessbiggame.com.

Nearly a decade ago Bill Rancic burst onto the scene as the first-ever winner of the hit show, The Apprentice.  Rancic is the author of the best-selling books, “You're Hired: How to Succeed in Business and Life” and “Beyond The Lemonade Stand.”  Bill and his wife Giuliana also co-authored the best-seller, “I Do… Now What” where the duo share secrets to everlasting love and understanding. Rancic has also hosted a nationally-syndicated television show, “America Now.”  He and Giuliana also star on the top-rated reality show, “Giuliana and Bill,” as well as sharing hosting duties for a prime time program, “Ready for Love.”  

ABOUT BILL RANCIC:
Award-winning personality Bill Rancic hosts the successful nationally-syndicated television show, America Now, and serves as co-executive producer with his wife Giuliana Rancic on the top-rated reality show, Giuliana and Bill. The duo will also share hosting duties for the upcoming NBC prime time program Ready for Love, scheduled to debut in December 2012.

Bill’s unique life experiences as an entrepreneur, best-selling author, television personality and restaurateur of the popular Chicago restaurant RPM-Italian chain have given him the opportunity to travel the world and experience different lifestyles and numerous cultures.

Nearly a decade ago, Bill burst on the scene as the first-ever winner of the NBC hit show The Apprentice. With tremendous experience that ranges from Main Street to Wall Street, Bill has had a first-hand look at peoples' personal and professional codes, choices, values and behaviors. Addressing the many challenges individuals face, Bill directly relates his discussions to the corporate arena and explores important topics, such as working professional relationships and surviving the daily ethical challenges in business.

A published author of New York Times best-selling book, Bill wrote You're Hired: How to Succeed in Business and Life and Beyond The Lemonade Stand, Most recently Bill and Giuliana co-authored the best-seller I Do… Now What where the duo share secrets to everlasting love and understanding.

Bill believes that it is necessary for successful people to give back to the community, and he demonstrates this in his volunteer work. He serves as a national spokesperson for the Starkey Hearing Foundation (SHF) to help the organization on its mission to change the social consciousness of hearing and health care. Much of his efforts have been focused on helping those in Haiti after the devastating 2010 earthquake. In addition to SHF, Bill is a Spokesperson for the Mercy Home for Boys & Girls, a Chicago-based organization that betters the lives of children and families in need.

Throughout his career, Bill has been blessed with opportunities to meet many leaders in business and politics and has seen the world through the eyes of others. He is a cultured man, with strong messages of leadership, entrepreneurship, dedication and volunteerism.

SMALLBUSINESSBIGGAME.COM

Monday, November 16, 2015

11/16 JAMIE SORCHER, TECH TRENDS FOR THE HOLIDAYS, CHEF TOM COLICCHIO, TASTE NOT WASTE

GADGET GIRL JAMIE SORCHER TALKS TECH TRENDS FOR THE HOLIDAY SEASON

Hi-Tech Holiday Gadget Girl Jamie Sorcher Talks Tech Trends for the Holiday Season

Holiday season is upon us, and technology and “gadgets” are front and center on the wish list. This year more than ever, your viewers will be shopping for the most awesome, innovative and just plain cool technology “toys.”

Technology expert and self-proclaimed “gadget geek,” Jamie Sorcher, is available on Monday, Nov. 16 to show, tell and demo top tech tips & trends for the season, as well as provide the all-important shopping advice.

ABOUT JAMIE:
Sorcher, a multimedia journalist with more than 15 years experience in broadcast, online, and print, is a word nerd, tech enthusiast, and gadget geek who answers to many handles including Gadget Girl, Gizmo Girl, GG, and Super G.  In broadcast, Sorcher has earned recognition as a go-to techie during more than 1,500 TV and radio interviews. She has appeared on varied news programs and networks including WABC-TV, Ahead of the Curve on ABC News, The Early Show on CBS, NBC Nightly News, Good Day New York on Fox, Fox News, and Radio Disney.

Sorcher logged over 100 live segments as the Gizmo Girl, a role she originated, on ESPN’s morning show Cold Pizza. In print, Sorcher served as a  senior editor at Hachette Filipacchi writing for Premiere, Home, Ty Pennington at Home, Sound & Vision, Stereo Review, and Car Stereo Review, and has been a regular contributor to ShopSmart, a sister publication of Consumer Reports, and to All You, as well as to leading technology industry publication, TWICE (This Week in Consumer Electronics).

A graduate of Lehigh University with a bachelor of arts in Journalism, Sorcher has studied at the London School of Economics and the American Academy of Dramatic Arts.


FOOD WASTE ACTIVIST CHEF TOM COLICCHIO TALKS ABOUT THE TASTE NOT WASTE CAMPAIGN - RAISE AWARENESS FOR FOOD WASTE IN AMERICA

Food waste activist, chef Tom Colicchio continues his ongoing efforts to raise awareness for food waste in America, which is especially high over the holidays, he’s joined the Taste Not Waste campaign. The U.S. generates an extra 5 million tons of household waste each year between Thanksgiving and the New Year – three times as much as at other times of the year. As families begin to prepare their holiday menus, veggies will undoubtedly be a part of side and main dishes, but fruits and vegetables remain the second most wasted food in American homes.
One easy way to combat this is to embrace less-than-perfect veggies. The standards for which produce makes it to the store is loosely regulated, meaning a lot of what is produced by farms, goes to waste. The USDA recently set a goal to reduce food waste by 50 percent by 2030, but an estimated six billion pounds of fruits and vegetables are wasted every year in the U.S. because they are “ugly.” Tom is supporting taking a stand to address the food waste problem head on by moving those wilted, weird, whole and (un)wanted veggies to the center of the plate.

Tom has partnered with Hidden Valley in support of the Taste Not Waste campaign to take a stand to address the food waste problem head on by moving those wilted, weird, whole and (un)wanted veggies to the center of the plate. For more info, as well as tips and techniques for simple changes anyone can make at home visit TasteNotWaste.com.

People can also get involved by posting a photo of how they are fighting food waste at home and using all parts of the veggie with #TasteNotWaste and Hidden Valley will donate $1 to Great Nations Eat. In support of the Taste Not Waste campaign, Hidden Valley created a limited edition bottle for sale exclusively on eBay featuring imperfect veggies on the iconic label. On sale through the end of the year, all proceeds will benefit Great Nations Eat.

ABOUT TOM:
Thomas Patrick "Tom" Colicchio (/kɵˈliːkjoʊ/; born August 15, 1962) is an American celebrity chef. He co-founded the Gramercy Tavern in New York City, and formerly served as a co-owner and as the executive chef. He is also the founder of Craft and Colicchio & Sons restaurants. Colicchio is the recipient of five James Beard Foundation Awards for cooking accomplishments.

He has been the head judge on every season of Bravo reality TV show Top Chef as well asBest New Restaurant which he also executive produces.[2] Colicchio has also been a featured chef on Great Chefs shows.

TasteNotWaste.com

Friday, November 13, 2015

11/13 MARGE KLINDERA, BUTTERBALL TURKEY TALK LINE, JOAN LAWRENCE, THE TOY INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION, STEVE EVENS

MARGE KLINDERA – BUTTERBALL TURKEY TALK LINE EXPERT

Each Thanksgiving for the last 30+ years, the Turkey Talk Line fields thousands of consumer calls with questions from basic turkey 101 – like  thawing and basting the bird -  to SOS emergency calls hours before the Thanksgiving meal.

This year, the Talk Line is giving new meaning to the popular #TBT (which means ‘throw back Thursday’ if you didn’t know) with a special Thursday edition - “Throwback Thanksgiving” - asking everyone to share nostalgic Thanksgiving memories this holiday season. The experts are also digging into the Talk Line archives for never before seen photos, archived recipes and their most memorable calls since the 1980’s.

MARGE WILL TALK ABOUT

  • Tried-and-True, “Turkey 101”: tips on holiday meal prep
  • Turkey Then & Now: how the Thanksgiving table has changed over the decades
  • Most Memorable Calls:  as Talk Line experts dig into the archives they’ll throwback to some of their most memorable calls

1-800-BUTTERBALL (1-800-288-8372)
WWW.BUTTERBALL.COM


JOAN LAWRENCE FROM THE TOY INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION (TIA)WILL SEPARATE FACT FROM FICTION WHEN IT COMES TO THIS YEARS’ SELECTION 

Fall is in full swing and the holiday season is around the corner! As wish lists begin to grow, shoppers need to not only look out for toys that top the list, but also need to be sure their selections are safe for the kids on their shopping list.  

ABOUT JOAN
Joan Lawrence - As Toy Industry Association (TIA) Vice President of Safety Standards and Regulatory Affairs, Joan Lawrence manages TIA’s product safety programs encompassing the development of safety standards as well as industry and consumer safety education.  Her experience and leadership within the industry spans a broad range of issues – from product safety and quality to environmental and other corporate social responsibility initiatives.

Joan is an advocate for uniform toy safety standards and leads an expert committee that oversees and develops the US safety standards for toys -- working with medical and child development experts, engineers and toy designers, government, industry, and consumer representatives -- to ensure that our US standards are among the toughest in the world.

A lifelong child safety advocate, Joan is the daughter of a prominent pediatrician and, herself, a mother of three young children . . . making her commitment to toy safety much more than a job.

WWW.TOYASSOCIATION.ORG



STEVE EVANS – THE MOVIE GUY

GREAT MOVIES OPENING THIS WEEKEND AND BOX OFFICE PREDICTIONS AND HOPES. FIND OUT WHAT MOVIES ARE WORTH YOUR HARD EARNED MONEY. GET SET FOR THE WEEKEND.

Thursday, November 12, 2015

11/12 CHEF LETICIA SCHWARTZ, “COWBOY BILL MARTIN: LET THE LAUGHTER ROLL”

CELEBRITY CHEF LETICIA SCHWARTZ TALKS TYPE 2 DIABETES AND HEALTHY EATING IN TIME FOR THE HOLIDAYS

Traditions are just that… traditions.  And it is hard to change them.  But why not just alter them slightly so you can enjoy your holiday and not sacrifice taste or your health.

Hispanics in particular are very tied to traditional holiday meals. But did you know that Hispanics are at a higher risk for developing type 2 diabetes?  U.S. Hispanics are nearly twice as likely to be diagnosed with diabetes as non-Hispanic whites, and diabetes is the fifth leading cause of death within the Hispanic community.

To help raise awareness among the Hispanic community about type 2 diabetes, celebrity chef Leticia Moreinos Schwartz is working with Merck on Desafiando La Diabetes: Logra Tus Metas, a program urging Hispanics with type 2 diabetes to know their A1C—average blood sugar level over the past 2 to 3 months—and to work with their doctor to develop a plan to set and attain their personal A1C goal.

One of the more difficult aspects of diabetes management can be adjusting your diet, especially during the holidays! As part of the program, Chef Leticia is sharing simple ways people with type 2 diabetes can to prepare healthy, traditional Hispanic or other dishes without sacrificing the flavor.

Visit WWW.DESAFIANDOLADIABETES.COM for more information on Chef Leticia and Desafiando La Diabetes: Logras Tus Metas.


BILL MARTIN - ONE-HOUR TV COMEDY SPECIAL ON CMT “COWBOY BILL MARTIN: LET THE LAUGHTER ROLL” SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 21ST AT 12:30AM EST/ 9:30PM PST

Comedian “Cowboy Bill” Martin has traveled the world doing his own brand of original stand-up comedy where he talks about love, the frailty of life and the magnitude of being a modern man. Sure he wears cowboy garb on stage and he speaks with a Texas accent but his comedy touches people of all cultures.
 
Martin has toured over the years with George Strait, Brad Paisley, Rascal Flatts, George Jones and the famed Blue Collar Tour. He's also had the privilege of entertaining our soldiers in the Middle East.  But, the comedy veteran credits his rise in popularity to his last five years working tirelessly with Carnival Cruise Lines’ Punchliner Comedy Club Presented by George Lopez.  

ABOUT THE SHOW:
“Cowboy Bill Martin: Let the Laughter Roll was produced/directed by John Reynolds who made made a name for himself filming the LIVE AT BILLY BOBS© series and other country music videos. Martin said, “John knows comedy and he captured what it is I do on stage. Then Inception Media Group got it to CMT, a place we wanted to be all along.” Martin has a two-year agreement with the network.

Martin noted, “We shot the special at an old haunted, vaudeville theater called the Rose Marine in the historic Fort Worth Stockyards. Ironically, it's just minutes away from where my mom worked as a waitress counting pennies, nickels and dimes and where my father climbed in and out of an 18-wheeler truck while I was growing up. The energy and synergy that night was just perfect.”

In his spare time, Martin is the Founder and CEO of the non-profit organization “Cowboys Who Care Foundation” which provides Free Resistol cowboy and cowgirl hats to kids with cancer and other life-threatening illnesses, delivering more than 4,100 hats to kids across the country since 2012.

So whether you are from the big city or a small town, you should feel right at home watching Cowboy Bill Martin.   At the end of you will realize, Martin is just a big, loud Texan with a great big heart.  And you can’t help but like the guy.”

WWW.COWBOYBILL.COM

Wednesday, November 11, 2015

11/11 VOJTECH KACEROVSKY, CZECHTOURISM LOS ANGELES, ZDENEK CHROMY, R. JELINEK SLIVOVITZ DISTILLERY, THE RADISSON BLU HOTEL IN PRAGUE

DIRECTOR OF CZECHTOURISM LOS ANGELES VOJTECH KACEROVSKY & ZDENEK CHROMY FROM R. JELINEK SLIVOVITZ DISTILLERY JOIN MIKE AND PAUL LIVE IN STUDIO

ABOUT CZECH TOURISM
The Czech Republic is a modern and dynamic destination with a rich history and unique natural beauty.  The CzechTourism agency, along with its offices abroad ,ensures its successful presentation on the domestic and foreign markets. The Czech Tourism Authority - CzechTourism is a contributory organization of the Ministry for Regional Development and was established in 1993. Its significant partner agencies include domestic tourist regions, cities, municipalities and businesses.

WWW.CZECHTOURISM.COM

ABOUT R. JELINEK SLIVOVITZ DISTILLERY
RUDOLF JELÍNEK a.s. is a joint stock company concerned with the production of alcoholic drinks, especially spirits which has an established tradition in Vizovice since 16th century. The company itself was founded at the end of the 19th in 1894. The products of our company are known in all corners of the Czech Republic. But they are not determined only for the home market. Our exports have enjoyed a tradition since 1934 and in recent years the volume is ever on the increase.

Our flag ship is Slivovitz, of which we produce a varied assortment (kosher, non-kosher, Gold, White etc.) and furthermore our trademark fruit brandies of the highest quality (e.g. pear brandy, apricot brandy, cherry brandy etc.).

DISTILLERY LAND 
The company RUDOLF JELÍNEK a.s., founded in 1894 is an historic firm, which is famed in particular for its production of fruit spirits (above all Slivovitz) typical for central Europe and of alcoholic drinks. The company RUDOLF JELINEK a.s. holds in high respect the tradition of distilling, whose beginnings hail back to the second half of 16th century, and wishes to make this known to the general public. It has therefore decided to play an active role in tourism and has established the tour and visiting center of Distillery Land.

It is not only wine and beer which help to spread the good name of Moravia, but also plum brandy and starorežná. Archaeological finds have confirmed that spirits were produced here from sometime around the 14th century. Thanks to the suitable climate, over 70,000 plum trees grew in the area around Vizovice. Not only plum brandy, but also pear brandy, cherry brandy and other spirits can be found in the Rudolf Jelínek Distillery Land in Vizovice. Familiarise yourself with the main principles of production of this traditional spirit on the standard (one-hour) or expert (two-hour) excursion. You will be introduced to the process with the aid of a video projection and you will see a distillation column as well as learning about distilling, rectification and equalisation processes. At the end, in the tasting room, you will try three types of high quality spirit free of charge (of course only if you are aged 18 or over).

EN.RJELINEK.CZ


THEM THEY'LL CHAT ABOUT THE RADISSON BLU HOTEL IN PRAGUE

Built in 1932, the Radisson Blu Alcron Hotel, Prague showcases marble floors, soaring ceilings and antique lighting inspired by its original Art Deco design and restored by famed designer Maria Vafiadis. This centrally located hotel lies near Charles Bridge, Wenceslas Square and Prague Castle and features 204 rooms and suites with amenities like Free high-speed, wireless Internet and LCD televisions. Guests can dine at 2 award-winning restaurants, the internationally inspired La Rotonde and The Alcron, which received a Michelin star in 2012, 2013 and 2014 for the work of its executive chef Roman Paulus. This welcoming hotel in Prague offers an abundance of thoughtful guest services, including a fitness center and sauna, underground car valet parking, weekend brunch and the opportunity to take cooking classes with Chef Paulus. Conference hosts can take advantage of 10 meeting rooms that include Free high-speed, wireless Internet and DigiChart Innovative Technology. With acclaimed cuisine, historical surroundings and a firm dedication to service, the Radisson Blu Alcron Hotel, Prague also provides an ideal venue for weddings and other special events.

  • Refurbished by Maria Vafiadis in its original Art Deco style, complete with milk glass, chandeliers, high ceilings and marble floors
  • Near many of Prague’s most notable attractions, including Wenceslas Square, Charles Bridge, Prague Castle and Old Town Square
  • A total of 204 rooms and suites with high ceilings, antique lighting and amenities like movies on demand and Free high-speed, wireless Internet
  • Award-winning restaurants, including The Alcron, recipient of a Michelin star (2012-2015)
  • Creative drinks at Art Deco-inspired Be Bop Bar
  • Fitness center, sauna and massages available
  • Cooking classes with acclaimed chef Roman Paulus and separate cooking classes for children
  • Crystal Ballroom event venue with both a striking ceiling made of steel and glass and space for 200 guests
  • Meeting rooms with Free high-speed, wireless Internet and DigiChart Innovative Technology
  • Beautiful historical setting for special events or weddings


WWW.RADISSONBLU.COM

Tuesday, November 10, 2015

11/10 JUSTINE SANTANIELLO, CYNTHIA PECK, PATHWAYS OF HOPE, ANGELO'S AND VINCI'S

LIFESTYLE EXPERT JUSTINE SANTANIELLO - HOLIDAY SHOPPING IDEAS /GIFT IDEAS TO JUMP START YOUR HOLIDAY SHOPPING LIST 

The holiday season is about to kick-off…and that means it’s time to start figuring out what to get your friends and loved ones!  It can be a challenge, but Lifestyle expert, Justine Santaniello is here to help us and share her best gift list ideas that will make everyone happy this year!

The holiday season is about to kick-off…and that means it’s time to start figuring out what to get your friends and loved ones!  However, with so many items to choose from, building your gift list can feel like a chore.  Justine Santaniello, Lifestyle and Trends expert, shares her best gift list ideas that will make everyone feel like they made the nice list this year!  During the New York City-based tour, Justine will feature 5 of her top ideas.

Lifestyle and Trend Expert Justine Santaniello is a regularly featured guest on The Veria Living Network and has served as a correspondent for Access Hollywood and The Wendy Williams Show. Justine has made appearances on New York Live, BetterTV, and Yahoo!, in addition to guest co-host for Life Love Shopping. She has been seen on FOX Business, the Hallmark Channel, WE, the Discovery Channel, and BRAVO. With extensive media experience, she is also a regular guest on local morning TV shows across the country.

WWW.INTHENEWS.TV


CYNTHIA PECK – RECAP OF PATHWAYS OF HOPE LOOK WHOS DANCING COMPETITION

THE LOOK WHO’S DANCING COMPETITION WAS A GREAT SUCCESS!

Benefiting Pathways of Hope
Pathways of Hope, formerly known as Fullerton Interfaith Emergency Service, Inc. (FIES), is a non-profit organization. For over 40 years Pathways of Hope has been providing food, transitional living and support and prevention services to the hungry, homeless and marginalized through assistance of local congregations, volunteers, businesses and grants from foundations and government agencies.

PATHWAYSOFHOPE.US

HISTORY OF ANGELO’S AND VINCI’S

Forty-three years ago, our restaurant was built with tradition and has since continued with tradition. At our home in the old marketplace, we tribute our ancestors who came to America in the late 1800’s – their spirit and their recipes!
A little about this old building…

Originally built as an L-shaped marketplace in the days when Fullerton was an orchard (early 1900’s), the local farmers would bring their produce in from the fields by horse and wagon to sell to the townspeople. The original wood trusses of the old roof system may still be seen in the Venetian Room. Approximately twenty years later, renovation of the building changed it from its original L-shape to a square. This was accomplished by the large wood barrel trusses (an unusual truss!), which can be seen in the Sicilian Room and the Piazza Fantasia. During our renovation in 1992, the old wood, terra cotta tiles and brick was salvaged and re-used to keep alive the feeling and memories of those days long ago.

About our décor…
Be prepared when you walk into Angelo’s and Vinci’s Ristorante to be overwhelmed! With surprises in every corner, you won’t know where to look first! You will sit amidst the art of the great masters, in an Italian town square complete with the storefronts of old Italian butcher and cheese mongers, fruit and wine vendors, seamstresses showing their wares, and more. Fairy lights abound under cathedral ceilings as our ancestors smile down at you from the Family Love Altar. Explore and you will be surrounded by colorful Sicilian puppets, the carnival masks and canals of Venice, and the romance of Romeo & Juliet. Find our mystical Room of the Moon…and don’t forget King Kong, Dracula, Frankenstein, witches, ghosts and who-knows-what that await you in the Monster Wine Cellar!

And, as for Hollywood…
Founder, Steven Peck, renowned Hollywood dancer, choreographer and veteran actor of over 100 movies and television performances, has delightful photographs of over 40 years of famous stars, directors and dancers. Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Gary Cooper, Robert Taylor, Broderick Crawford, Kirk Douglas, Walter Winchell, Sam Wanamaker, Vincent Minnelli, Sylvester Stallone, Ted Danson, David Hasselhof, Ray Sharkey, Shirley MacLaine, Cyd Charisse, Dolly Parton, Joan Collins, Raquel Welch, Olympia Dukakis, Shelly Winters and so many more. Films from Paramount, Twentieth Century Fox, Warner Bros., MGM, Desilu, United Artists, Universal Studios, to name a few.

WWW.ANGELOSANDVINCIS.COM

Monday, November 9, 2015

11/09 CHEF RICK BAYLESS, SAN DIEGO BAY WINE + FOOD FESTIVAL, JANINE AND ALAN TIBBETTS, RANCHO DE PHILO PREMIUM TRIPLE CREAM SHERRY

AUTHOR, RESTAURATEUR AND EXECUTIVE CHEF RICK BAYLESS HOSTS SAN DIEGO BAY WINE + FOOD FESTIVAL’S OPENING NIGHT FEAST ON NOVEMBER 16TH 

SAN DIEGO’S FOOD AND WINE FESTIVAL: NOVEMBER 16-22, 2015
Southern California’s largest food and wine classic returns to San Diego November 16-22 for its 12th season! Today we'll provides a sneak peak into the season’s most anticipated food and wine event, the San Diego Bay Wine + Food Festival. Listeners receive an exclusive preview of this year’s epic opening night feast, and get to know headlining Festival chef, restauranteur and author, Rick Bayless.

WWW.SANDIEGOWINECLASSIC.COM

ABOUT CHEF RICK BAYLESS
Most people know Rick Bayless from winning the title of Bravo’s Top Chef Masters, beating out the French and Italian with his authentic Mexican cuisine. His highly rated Public Television Series, Mexico–One Plate at a Time, is in its ninth season and is broadcast coast to coast. In 2012, Rick was nominated for a Daytime Emmy for Best Culinary Host.

Rick has eight cookbooks. His second book, Mexican Kitchen, won the Julia Child IACP cookbook of the year award in 1996, and his fourth book, Mexico–One Plate at a Time won James Beard Best International Cookbook of the Year award in 2001. Fiesta at Rick’s spent a number of weeks on the New York Times best seller list.

Rick’s side by side award-winning restaurants are in Chicago. The casual Frontera Grill was founded in 1987 and received the James Beard Foundation’s highest award, Outstanding Restaurant, in 2007. The 4-star Toplobampo served its first meals in 1991. And the wildly popular, LEED GOLD-certified, fast-casual Xoco has been around since 2009, serving wood-oven tortas, steaming caldos, golden churros and bean-to-cup Mexican hot chocolate. Rick’s quick-service Tortas Frontera have changed the face of food service at O’Hare International Airport, while Frontera Fresco has brought Frontera flavors to several Macy’s stores and Northwestern University. His award-winning Frontera line of salsas, cooking sauces and organic chips can be found coast to coast.

Rick and his staff established the Frontera Farmer Foundation in 2003 to support small Midwestern farms. Each year, grants are awarded to farmers for capital improvements to their family farms, encouraging greater production and profitability. To date, the Foundation has awarded 128 grants totaling over $1.3 million. In 2007, Bayless and his team launched the Frontera Scholarship, a full tuition scholarship that sends a Mexican-American Chicago Public School student to Kendall College to study culinary arts. In 2007 Rick was awarded the Humanitarian of the Year by the International Association of Culinary Professionals for his many philanthropic endeavors.

Rick has received a great number of James Beard Award nominations in many categories, and he has won six: Midwest Chef of the Year, National Chef of the Year, Humanitarian of the Year, Who’s Who of American Food and Drink, plus two for his cookbooks.

The Government of Mexico has bestowed on Rick the Mexican Order of the Aztec Eagle–the highest decoration bestowed on foreigners whose work has benefitted Mexico and its people.

Recently, Rick finished up a sold-out 5-week run on stage at Lookingglass Theatre, where he created Cascabel–offering theater goers the story of a meal, told through flavor, memory, song, dance and amazing physical feats.

WWW.RICKBAYLESS.COM


JANINE AND ALAN TIBBETTS - OWNER/WINEMAKER, RANCHO DE PHILO PREMIUM TRIPLE CREAM SHERRY 

Smooth, sweet and aged to perfection, triple cream sherry is the dessert wine’s dessert. Making it right takes time and it’s the quintessential consumable that proves the adage that some things only get better with age. Sherry never goes bad. Alta Loma winery Rancho de Philo has been creating award-winning sherry for more than 50 years.

Rancho de Philo was founded in 1974 by Philo Biane, former president and CEO of Brookside Vineyard Co. The fifth-generation wine maker developed Brookside’s table and dessert wines and later started Rancho de Philo’s sherry line in 1962. When Biane died in 1999, his daughter, Janine Tibbets and her husband, Alan, took over the winery.

Rancho de Philo creates its sherry with the Mission grape using the solera system, a Spain tradition of blending differently aged liquids. Grapes are crushed by Mira Loma’s Galleano Winery and the juice is allowed to ferment until it reaches 16 percent alcohol. Grape brandy is then added to kill the yeast and stop fermentation. Once delivered to Rancho de Philo, the wine is stored in an insulated tank with the temperature set at 120 degrees and allowed to bake for several months.

“I check it every couple of weeks and when the wine starts to turn brown and gets hazy that’s the beginning of the sherry creation,” Janine Tibbets said.

At that point, however, it’s still far from ready. The newborn libation will age between seven and 12 years. Labeled by year, it’s first kept in 150-gallon barrels, most more than 100 years old. After seven years the wine is introduced into the main “soleras,” or 50-gallon barrels, as needed before they are blended with older wines. From year to year, in a long, meticulous process, two-thirds of the sherry is blended from barrel to barrel, until each production is a blend of sherry aged 12 to 50 years when bottled. Each bottle is 18.5 percent alcohol and 13.5 percent sugar. Cream sherry is a bit on the pricey side because of the long process and the 30 percent evaporation it suffers between the grapes being crushed and the baking period. The 2013 blend, which is available in limited supply is $36.95, almost $9 more than the 2014.

The 2013 sherry blend has won five International Wine Competitions including Double Gold, New World; Gold, Pacific Rim; Gold and Best in Class, Orange County, Chairman’s Award and Platinum, San Diego. Each year, the winery produces 4,000 bottles available for sale to the public. Samples are available and encouraged. Also available are sherry glasses, bottle stoppers, trivets and pomegranate jelly. But Rancho de Philo is not a money-making venture, the Tibbets said. It’s about family, tradition and doing something worth doing because it’s done well.

Friday, November 6, 2015

11/06 NINA TYLER, GOOGLE TRENDS, IAN BLACKBURN, WINE LA STEVE EVANS

NINA TYLER - GOOGLE SEARCH TRENDS EXPERT - WEEKLY TOP SEARCH TRENDS

Google’s Top Search Trends program provides a revealing — and sometimes surprising — look at the people, places and topics that send the country searching for answers each week.

Topics That Fascinated the U.S. Selected from Millions of INTERNET Searches!

Hear the hottest content on the web each week directly from the source! Become part of Google’s weekly Top Search Trends program to find out what news makers and trends are capturing the imagination of the country each week. Encompassing searches from across pop culture, sports, music, politics, news, and more a Roya will discuss five of the hottest trending queries on the web.

GOOGLE.COM/TRENDS


IAN BLACKBURN SOMMELEIR, WINE EDUCATOR AND FOUNDER OF WINELA.COM - UPCOMING EVENTS 

ABOUT WINELA
wineLA is about enhancing the wine culture of Los Angeles. To do so, wine must be in rhythm with fashion, music, food and other beverages.  It must take advantage of the geography, the architecture and the centers of interest. Los Angeles is a giant playground with an amazing array of venues, spaces, wine bars, restaurants, beaches, roof tops, gardens, and magical views. We want to be a part of the LA lifestyle, the wine lifestyle, and celebrate the people, the place and the passion.

wineLA will promote significant events, occasional classes, and tastings of merit. This is phase two of what we started 20 years ago at LearnAboutWine.com - America’s first wine education website and first in wine event creation. LearnAboutWine will now evolve onto a digital platform; the transformation will take some time; so we will slowly rebrand our event efforts onto wineLA, reduce the number of activities we focus on, and elevate our efforts to focus on the next big thing… Doing what is best for the wine industry and the communities we serve.  Edicts:  innovate, evolve and excite.

We thank you for joining our newsletter, we will be sending fewer emails and packing them with amazing content. We want to be your wine content provider and would love to hear about your favorite places, your music, your locations - we want to be under the influence of what ignites your passion for Los Angeles.

UPCOMING EVENTS:

ENTER CODE 'FALL4WINE' WHEN PURCHASING TICKETS TO ANY OF THE EVENTS BELOW FOR AN INSTANT SAVINGS OF $15!  THIS CODE WILL WORK ON ALL EVENTS UNTIL THE END OF THE YEAR!

November
  • November 7 - Wine Camp - Introduction to wine (our #1 class) 
  • November 14 - Wine, Cheese, & Chocolate - 10 wines - 5 cheeses - 5 chocolates
  • November 18 - STARS of Cabernet - Taste over 100 wines with over 40 winemakers/owners at Peninsula Beverly Hills  with TJ Martell Foundation
  • November 22 - Learn About Coravin - Learn About Coravin with an executive from Coravin as he introduces the new model two device and you can apply your class fees towards purchase.  
December
  • December 6 - Burgundy vs. Beaujolais vs. Pinot Noir - Sommelier Guided Tasting of an incredible list of wines.
  • December 9 - Italian Event - TBA
  • December 12 - Wine Camp - Introduction to Wine class (2 hours) 
  • December 13 - Exploring Champagne - Sommelier Guided Tasting of the Best in Champagne
  • December 17 - "Magnum" Dinner - Large formats rule! - Location TBA

WWW.WINELA.COM


STEVE EVANS – THE MOVIE GUY

GREAT MOVIES OPENING THIS WEEKEND AND BOX OFFICE PREDICTIONS AND HOPES. FIND OUT WHAT MOVIES ARE WORTH YOUR HARD EARNED MONEY. GET SET FOR THE WEEKEND.

Thursday, November 5, 2015

11/05 “CHOPPED” STAR TED ALLEN, MAYOR OF HLUK, MARTIN KŘIŽAN, DIGITAL LIFESTYLE EXPERT MARIO ARMSTRONG

“CHOPPED” STAR TED ALLEN SHARES TIPS ON CUTTING THROUGH THE RED TAPE OF HOLIDAY TRAVEL AND MAKING THE MOST OUT OF YOUR BUDGET

As we approach the busy holiday travel season, American travelers are anticipating long lines at airport security and delays all-around. While travelers can’t avoid the lengthy lines in airports, train stations and on freeways, there are plenty of other ways to alleviate stress around upcoming holiday travel.

Food and travel expert Ted Allen will be available for interviews via satellite at the South Congress Hotel in Austin, Texas to share tips on getting the most out of holiday travel. For travelers redeeming their rewards to book trips this holiday season, Ted will share advice on how to ditch the typical restrictions when making travel plans, including how a flexible travel rewards credit card can help. Ted will also share his personal travel hacks to help avoid long lines and layover frustrations. And given his food and travel expertise, Ted will also reminisce about the nostalgia of classic holiday meals and point viewers in the right direction on where to travel for the quintessential fall staple foods fit for a memorable holiday.

MORE ABOUT TED ALLEN:
Ted Allen is a nationally-known travel and food expert. Ted’s Emmy award winning background evolved from “Queer Eye for the Straight Guy” to hosting Food Network’s “Chopped” and “All Star Academy.” Ted’s food travels have taken him from all over the globe from Bangkok to London. When planning a vacation, Ted advocates making food a focal point in the travel itinerary. From his experiences, Ted understands firsthand how to plan a budget-friendly trip to make the dream vacation as memorable as possible.
 


MAYOR OF HLUK - MARTIN KŘIŽAN

Hluk (in Germany Hulken) is a town in Uherské Hradiště District in Zlín Region of the Czech Republic, 10 km southeast from Uherské Hradiště on stream Okluky. In 2011 it had a population about 4400. The town was first mentioned in year 1294. The name of Hluk is very likely derived from Latin word "hlucium" (en: noise).

History
The first written mention of the village dates from 1294. The original name of the city Hluk was established, according to extant sources, from the Latin word "hlucium" to noisily running water stream Okluky, which flows through the town. Perhaps it is also the connection between the name and the medieval city of Hluk Lucká province, which was the center of Hluk possible.

Tradition and clubs

The Ride of Kings
The city is famous for its traditional Ride of the Kings, which is held every three years, on the first weekend in July (the closest Ride of the Kings is attributable to 2017). This folk tradition commemorates historic event, when King Matthias Corvinus after losing the battle fled through Hluk in female disguise.

At present, there is a tradition maintained style when through the city is decorated with ribbons and decorated horses transported the little boy in the women national costumes of Hluk, accompanied by costumed legrutů. The parade is accompanied by hundreds of costumed citizens of the city, surrounding municipalities, foreign and domestic ensembles.

Music
The Ride of the Kings is also linked to the annual brass band festival (held every Saturday in the first week in July) and a folklore festival (held on Sundays). In Hluk also has many other bands and dulcimer music. Among the most famous include DH Šarovec and DH Kosenka. Furthermore CM Babica, CM Ženičky, CM Šefranica.

Associations and clubs
In Hluk has a wide variety of ensembles, circles, and other areas of interest.These bands and dulcimer also include folklore groups operating either at Hluk Elementary School or working with the support of the city of Hluk. Namely, they are: Women's choir Ženičky, Male choir, Folk ensemble Okluky, Folk ensemble Dolňácko and then the children's folklore ensembles from the smallest to the DFS Košuláčci, DFS Žarůžek, DFS Hluboček. Children sets operate at Hluk Elementary School and serves as a school child to the adult ensemble Okluky. The ensemble was founded in 2014 and is one of the youngest Folklore group in Hluk.

Esperanto
In 1933, it was based in Hluk Esperanto Club (part of the Czechoslovak Association of Esperanto), whose members maintained correspondence contacts with speakers of Esperanto in many countries and was invited to several important Hluk travelers who lectures in Esperanto with translation into Czech in front of a local audience(Henrik Seppik lectured on Laponia, Erika Seppiková about Estonia,Joseph R. Scherer from USA about the trip to India, a black man Kola Ajayi about Africa). Every year, also held parties with rich Czech-Esperanto program and in 1937 was staged drama Jízdní hlídka with Legionnaire's theme by František Langer in Esperanto translationKavaleria patrolo.

WWW.MORAVIAN-HERITAGE.COM


DIGITAL LIFESTYLE EXPERT MARIO ARMSTRONG SHARES 5 TECH GIFT IDEAS THAT SHOULD MAKE YOUR LIST THIS YEAR

With the holiday shopping season about to kick into high gear, consumers are busy putting together their gift lists. Tech and consumer electronics continue to be a must-have gift pick, however, it can be a challenge to cut through the confusion!  You need to make sure you're in-the-know, so you can choose the perfect gifts for everyone on your list.

Mario Armstrong, award winning digital lifestyle expert, will showcase his tech gift guidance that will give consumers an edge of what's hot before the shopping rush begins.

As an Emmy Award winning host, Mario appears regularly on TV and radio. Mario is the Digital and Technology Commentator for NBC'S Today Show, HLN, Fuse and CNN. In addition, Mario has appeared on the following shows: Dr. Oz, Steve Harvey, Rachael Ray, Nate Berkus, Katie Couric, and Inside Edition. On radio, Mario is a technology contributor for NPR's Morning Edition and Tell Me More programs.

Armstrong's mission in life is to better people's lives by educating them on how to use technology to enhance their personal and professional lives.