12/15 - Gary Smith, Christine Forsyth, Roger Rice, Larry Lipson,

 Gary Smith - President - Jolly Time Popcorn

Popcorn. We know popcorn better than anyone else. Why? Because we are the original brand name of popcorn in America. We’ve been around since 1914 - longer than any of those other guys! American Pop Corn Company was founded in 1914 and processes and markets JOLLY TIME® Pop Corn in all 50 states and around the world!  JOLLY TIME® Pop Corn is a fourth generation, family owned company and employs about 185 popcorn connoisseurs. Our address? One Fun Place, Sioux City, Iowa.


Christine Forsyth  -  Ballard Inn  - Santa Barbara, CA 

Built in 1985 as a country inn, The Ballard Inn & Restaurant is set in the historic township of Ballard, centrally located in the heart of Santa Barbara County’s noted wine country. Ballard is 35 minutes north of Santa Barbara, and just a few minutes drive from the larger towns of the Santa Ynez Valley, Solvang, Santa Ynez, and Los Olivos.



Roger Rice - General Manager -  Carlyle Hotel  NYC

A long-time favorite among prominent eastside neighbors and socialites, The Carlyle Restaurant, designed in the English manor house style by the late Mark Hampton, marries luxury with intimacy. Patrons feel at home at once, ready to devote their full attention to Executive Chef James Sakatos’ seasonally motivated menu. Dishes feature the finest regional American ingredients with French influences.  The larger of the restaurant's two intimately lit rooms features plush chintz-covered banquettes, Aubusson rugs and mirrored alcoves, set off by a dramatic six-foot-tall floral arrangement. Just off the main room, a smaller dining room shimmers in Fortuny silk. Throughout, English hunting scenes by Fores, as well as engravings by Redoute and Liliacae, complete the country house ambience.  Sunday brunch at The Carlyle Restaurant present the perfect opportunity to people watch and take pleasure in the glamour of New York’s chic Upper East Side. Patrons enjoy an exquisite New York City hotel brunch while bumping elbows with socialites, politicians and fashion magnates alike. Chef’s exciting signature dishes, which include a Lobster Omelet, Eggs Benedict and Carpegna Prosciutto with Cantaloupe and Balsamic reduction, capture the interest and please the palate of both local patrons and hotel guests.


Larry Lipson - Live from Costa Rica

Former LA Daily News Food Columnist (50 Years) Larry Lipson is live and direct from his research Institute in Costa Rica. He will talk about wine food and the good life and will have comments From Frommer's Travel Guide: " Wine: Although some European immigrants have been experimenting with wine grape cultivation in Costa Rica, no one has succeeded. The government did sponsor an experimental effort several years ago, but eventually most of the vines were ripped out. If you see Costa Rican wine for sale, it is almost surely from imported Chilean grape juice that is then processed in Costa Rica--the quality is terrible and it is--at least so far--not worth buying except as a total novelty."