11/11 Gary Canter, Canter's Deli, Michelle Meeter, San Diego Bay Wine and Food Festival

GARY CANTER - CANTER'S DELI

"You wouldn't think that Los Angeles could have a deli rival to New Yorks, but for those who know and love the deli culture and appreciate all that it evokes, this place is heaven. Voted the #1 Best Pastrami by the  Los Angeles Times, Canter's Deli sandwiches are always served on rye, unless you ask for something else, but dont do that! Made famous for its corned beef and pastrami sandwiches Canter's Deli boasts of serving the best quality food at reasonable prices.

Tour buses stop here, and many tourists eat  here as well, but the real heart and soul of this deli are the locals who have never moved from the neighborhood and the stars who slip in here incognito for a late night nosh. Canter's Deli is a place of solace, and they come for the old-fashioned Jewish food that  reminds them of their past. Open 24 hours and only closed on Jewish holidays, you can  come here anytime for a delicious taste of yesterday."


Michelle Meeter - San Diego Bay Wine & Food Wine Festival

San Diego Food & Wine Festival: As one of the largest wine and food festivals in the nation, the San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival has helped shine the light on San Diego's thriving food scene. We've got our eyes and ears peeled for the city's most drool-worthy restaurants and newest food trends to hit the streets, bringing you an epicurean experience unlike any other. The magnitude of culinary talent in San Diego combined with an international showcase of the world's premiere wines and spirits, and the nation's trendsetting culinary masters, makes attendance at the San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival a mouthwatering feast and precursor to the Thankgiving holiday.

11/08 Chef Duff Goldman, Charm City Cakes, Scott Steinberg, Steve Evans

Chef Duff Goldman - Celebrity Pastry Chef, Charm City Cakes 

The smell of fresh baked treats is synonymous with the holiday season.  From fresh bread to various varieties of tasty cookies, cakes and other treats, it’s impossible to not run into baked goodies.  With the holiday season right around the corner, it’s time to begin to prepare the items that will make an appearance at your holiday gatherings.

Whether you are a lifelong baker or a novice at the oven, creating something delicious to share with loved ones is easier than it might seem.  Celebrity pastry chef Duff Goldman is a seasoned baker with a passion for creating treats that wow and impress clients across the globe.  Besides owning his own bakery, he has also appeared on numerous TV shows such as Ace of Cakes and Iron Chef America showing off his skills.  On Friday, November 8, Duff is available for interviews to share baking tips on how to make your treats the best yet. In addition, Duff will be able to announce the launch of the Baking for Better Challenge, a contest where consumers have the chance to win $5,000 for their local food bank.


Scott Steinberg - Technology Expert - Top Tech Gift Picks for the Holidays

About Scott Steinberg:  Over one billion people have turned to world-famous technology, business and parenting expert Scott Steinberg for insight into the latest consumer, business and youth trends. A regular on-air expert for ABC, CBS, and NBC, and among the world’s most-quoted analysts, his work has appeared in 400+ outlets from CNN to Rolling Stone. The head of strategic consulting firm TechSavvy Global and one of today’s best-known keynote speakers and technology futurists, he’s consulted on dozens of market-leading products and services for clients such as ESPN, MTV and Intel. The author of nine books, his works include international best sellers The Crowdfunding Bible and The Modern Parent’s Guide, and the critically-acclaimed Business Expert’s Guidebook. Hailed as a leading authority from NPR to The Wall St. Journal, he travels the world speaking to and training consumer and corporate audiences, and is a contributor to Fast Company, VentureBeat, The Huffington Post and other high-profile outlets.

www.techsavvymag.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.

11/07 Debi Mazar and Gabriele Corcos - Extra Virgin, Larry Van Aalst

DEBI MAZAR AND GABRIELE CORCOS - EXTRA VIRGIN

Actress Debi Mazar and her Tuscan-born husband, Gabriele Corcos, invite viewers into their home and kitchen in the new series Extra Virgin. She’s a modern girl from Queens and he’s a food purist from the hills of Tuscany and, with their young daughters Evelina and Giulia, they have a home life that blends their two opposite sensibilities, with delicious results.

Debi Mazar is an acclaimed actress who made her feature-film debut in Martin Scorsese’s Goodfellas. A native New Yorker, she’s best known for her portrayals of edgy, sharp-tongued characters on film, television and stage. Her onscreen work includes films with legendary directors Woody Allen, Michael Mann, Oliver Stone and Joel Schumacher. She also starred in her own television sitcom, Temporarily Yours. Debi is most recently known for her role as hard-charging publicist Shauna on the HBO series Entourage, in addition to appearing on season nine of the hit ABC competition series Dancing with the Stars. She has always been interested in cooking and is well-known among her friends for her fabulous dinner parties. Debi’s passion for food and cooking has grown even further since marrying Gabriele and becoming a mother to their two young daughters.   Debi latest movie is "Squirrels to the Nuts" with Jennifer Anniston and Owen Wilson.

Gabriele Corcos is a musician by trade and cook by nature. Born in Florence, Italy, he was raised in the Olive Country of Fiesole, where his grandmother and mother taught him everything he knows about Tuscan food and traditional farmers’ cuisine. He has an insatiable fascination with food, a love for organic ingredients and a determination to feed his family in the healthiest, most natural way — the Tuscan way. As a professional percussionist and musician, Gabriele has worked with Perry Farrell (Jane’s Addiction), Dave Stewart and Annie Lennox (The Eurythmics) and Nuno Bettencourt (Extreme). Bossa Toscana is his current band, and he also recently led a 13-piece big band, The Gabop Latin Orchestra.

Debi and Gabriele launched the popular online cooking series "Under the Tuscan Gun" in 2007, dedicated to fresh, authentic Tuscan cooking. The online series sparked the idea for their popular show on Cooking Channel; Extra Virgin (also airs on Food Network internationally).  The fourth season premieres in January 2014, Wednesdays at 9:30 PM ET.

LARRY VAN AALST - CRN PROGRAM HOST AND RECENT GUEST AT NEW WINE COUNTRY CASINO

In this Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2013 photo, patterns inspired by Sonoma County flowers are shown on a custom-woven carpet inside the Graton Resort and Casino in Rohnert Park, Calif. The Las Vegas-style Indian casino is set to open in California's wine country, the culmination of years of planning and legal battles. The $800 million casino opens November 5 and features four full-service restaurants, nine casual dining choices and three lounges in the 340,000 square foot resort.

11/06 Maria Del Mar Sacasa. Winter Cookbooks, Alan Jackson, The Lemondade Cookbook, Larry Lipson, Costa Rica

Maria Del Mar Sacasa – Food Stylist and Writer - Winter Cocktails

Whether you're skiing at the lodge, camping on the mountain, celebrating the holidays with friends, or just curling up with a good book on a blustery night, a warming cocktail is sure to put a rosy glow on your chilly cheeks.

In Winter Cocktails, author Maria del Mar Sacasa offers more than 50 recipes for cold-weather cocktails and mixed beverages. With stunning full color photography and well-crafted recipes, this gorgeous and informative hardcover cookbook is the perfect drink compendium for both novice bartenders and veteran cocktail slingers.

So if you're gathering on a cold evening with friends, planning a holiday party, or looking for interesting and unique new cocktail ideas, Winter Cocktails is the book you'll want to have by your side.

Maria del Mar Sarcasa is a professional food stylist and writer. Her work has appeared in numerous publications including Bon Appetit, Cook's Country and Women's Day. Her clients include Keurig, KitchenAid, Macy's, Pepsi and More...


Alan Jackson - The Lemonade Cookbook

After years working in LA’s fine dining scene, Chef Alan Jackson saw the need for quick, affordable food that didn’t come at the expense of taste or imagination. A busy father of 3, he realized that the options for a quick bite or take-out were limited, and not particularly healthy. Seeking to create a chef-driven approach to healthy dining, he opened his first fast-casual eatery Lemonade in 2007 and 12 more since.

A modern cafeteria where visitors enjoy a rotating daily spread of deliciousness, Lemonade offers fresh fare that tastes as though every culture is stirred into the pot. Now, THE LEMONADE COOKBOOK takes the bold flavors, imaginative dishes, and Southern California lifestyle that have made the Lemonade brand a huge hit and capture them in a fresh, beautifully designed, full-color cookbook.

With an emphasis on simple preparations with an inventive global taste, THE LEMONADE COOKBOOK speaks to all cooks who want to make sophisticated, highly urban comfort food with ease and is the perfect fit for today’s on-the-go lifestyles and perceptive palates.
ABOUT THE AUTHORS:

Born into a Hollywood family, ALAN JACKSON is grandson to famous actor Alan Ladd and son to legendary L.A. talk radio host Michael Jackson. Alan has a love affair with food and creating memorable meals since he opened Jackson’s and The Farm in Beverly Hills in the early 1990s.

 JOANN CIANCIULLI has coauthored cookbooks with world-renowned chefs like Michael Mina, served as an expert on Bravo's Top Chef Masters, and most recently authored two of her own cookbooks, L.A.'s Original Farmers Market Cookbook and the MasterChef Cookbook. JoAnn is co-creator and producer for groundbreaking Food Network shows, such as Food 911 with Tyler Florence.


Larry Lipson - Costa Rica Report       

For fifty years Larry Lipson was the food critic for the Los Angeles Daily News and now reports from Costa Rica 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. 

11/05 Dan Kessler, Santa Rita Hills Winery, Kessler-Haak Vineyard, Alex Guarnaschelli, Celebrity Chef, Iron Chef

Dan Kessler - Santa Rita Hills Winery, Kessler-Haak Vineyard

Santa Rita Hills, or Sta. Rita Hills, is a small appellation in the larger Santa Ynez Valley district of Santa Barbara County. The terrain, soil and climate have earned it an international reputation for its Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Although it is home to only a handful of wineries its grapes are featured in the production of many others. Located 12 miles from the ocean, the cool Pacific air, funneled by the Santa Rita hills, moderates the warm summer days. The fog rolls in during late afternoon and is burnt off by the morning sun. The cool nights and warm days produce intense and flavorful wines. The Santa Rita Hills Wine Trail passes through some of the most bucolic scenery in Santa Barbara. Side by side with vineyards are orchards and fields of fruit, vegetables and flowers. There are several small wineries in both Lompoc and Buellton, open by appointment only - we have listed only those that are open daily. Also, worth noting, is the La Purisima Mission one of the least spoilt Missions on the historic California Mission Trail. If you are driving from Santa Barbara we recommend using Hway 101. The scenery along the coast is fabulous.

Dan Kessler, an MIT-educated engineer-by-career, and his wife, Ellen Haak Kessler. The two purchased land in 2004 near the corner of Highway 246 and Gypsy Canyon Road just before the neighboring Clos Pepe Vineyards adorned the cover of Wine Spectator magazine and the hit film Sideways turned pinot into a household item.

“Wow, I guess we bought in a good place,” Kessler recalled telling his wife at the time, and by 2005, the Kessler-Haak Vineyard was home to 27 acres of pinot noir and three of chardonnay. Since the first harvest in 2008, the vineyard’s grapes have been used by such superstar producers as Samsara, Evening Land, and Dragonette; Kessler — who is also assistant winemaker at Lafond Winery — is increasingly using the fruit for his own wines under the Kessler-Haak label, which now makes nearly 1,000 cases a year with an eye on growing to about 5,000.

“I like getting my hands dirty,” said Kessler, a Michigan native who rose into the management ranks at various tech companies in Massachusetts, Colorado, and lastly, Camarillo’s Vitesse Semiconductor. “But as I moved up, I got further away from being in the creating part of it.” So he picked up winemaking as a hobby in 1997 and, by 2003, was searching for a vineyard site as an escape from corporate politics. “I wanted to be responsible for my own success or failure,” said Kessler, who upped the ante by challenging himself with finicky pinot noir, which led him to the Sta. Rita Hills.


Alex Guarnaschelli - Celebrity Chef, Iron Chef

With the holiday season comes anticipation of delicious meals while spending time with friends, family and other loved ones.  For those handling the cooking and entertaining, this time of year can also spell the beginning of endless lists, shopping and preparation.

Food Network star, celebrity chef and busy mom Alex Guarnaschelli is all about simplifying the holiday entertaining experience and making it easier without losing any of the taste or WOW factor.  As a familiar face on Food Network shows like “Chopped” and “The Next Iron Chef: Redemption,” Alex knows firsthand how intense it can get in the kitchen.

Alex is available for live interviews to share her favorite recipe, twice baked sweet potatoes with pecans, and help cooks everywhere simplify their holiday menus.  She will also discuss her favorite secret ingredient: nuts, which can be ground, toasted and roasted to give a dish that special touch, while still keeping it deliciously simple.

Guarnaschelli is a regular judge on the primetime shows Chopped and The Next Iron Chef and is a regular contributor to The Best Thing I Ever Made. She also completed 3 seasons of Alex’s Day Off, a show produced by Bobby Flay, airing on Cooking Channel. In 2012, Alex defeated nine rival chefs to win The Next Iron Chef: Redemption and joined the ranks of Kitchen Stadium Iron Chefs.

11/04 LOUIS LOMBARDI, RUNNER RUNNER, STEPHANIE ARNE, MUTUAL OF OMAHA’S, WILD KINGDOM, DANDY DON'S ICE CREAM

LOUIS LOMBARDI – ACTOR, ‘RUNNER RUNNER’ 

Best known for playing the unconventional hero and fan favorite “Edgar Stiles” in Fox’s Emmy Award winning show “24” and FBI Agent “Skip Lipari” in the highly acclaimed HBO’s “The Sopranos,” Louis Lombardi continues to steal the screen this Fall in RUNNER RUNNER, alongside Ben Affleck and Justin Timberlake as “Archie” the owner of the Sports Book. Louis will also join the cast of TNT’s Frank Darabont Drama “Lost Angels” this fall with Milo Ventimiglia and Ed Burns as “Stucky” one of Mickey’s (Jeremy Luke) men.

 In addition, Louis is going back to his Italian roots and is launching his own gourmet Italian food line this month, “Lombardi’s,” consisting of pastas, sauces, olive oils and olives imported directly from Italy! With quick, easy and creative tips, tricks and recipes for using all the Lombardi’s products, Louis wants to show families that it is easier and healthier to make a home cooked meal that it is to go through a drive-thru!

Born and raised in the Bronx, Lombardi’s acting career took off after starring in the Sundance Film Festival’s Grand Jury Prize Nominee “Amongst Friends” directed by Rob Weiss which caught the attention of Academy Award winning director Oliver Stone who cast Lombardi in his next film NATURAL BORN KILLERS alongside Woody Harrelson, Robert Downey Jr, Tommy Lee Jones and Juliette Lewis. Other notable big screen films include Academy Award winner THE USUAL SUSPECTS alongside Benicio Del Toro, Kevin Spacey and Gabriel Byrne, cult classic SUICIDE KINGS with Denis Leary, Christopher Walken and Brad Garrett, and THE ANIMAL as Rob Schneider’s best friend. Louis’ love of food also inspired DOUGHBOYS, a film festival favorite starring Lombardi, Vincent Pastore, Andrew Keegan and Mike Starr about two Bronx brothers running the family bakery which was also and written and directed by Lombardi. His small screen accomplishments include “Entourage” as ‘Turtle’s Cousin Ronnie,’ “Fantasy Island,” “Ugly Betty,” and “NYPD Blue” to name a few.


Don Whittemore  – Dandy Dons Ice Cream

Don Whittemore is a funny man with a huge personality who loves to make people happy. Good thing he makes ice cream, huh? Once Upon A Time (circa 1962 – 67), Don was a stand-up comedian. He worked under the name Don Harris in Atlanta, Miami Beach & Newport, KY. (Check out his snazzy tux in this ancient head shot.) If you have some free time one day, ask him to tell you some jokes. The next part of this biography starts just after that but still long long ago, in the Time Before CDs. Don was in the record business. He convinced DJs to play records by Frank Sinatra, Elvis, The Beatles, David Bowie, and Cat Stevens (to name a few). Some of those records went gold. Here’s a photo of him with New York disc jockeys Wolfman Jack (on the left) and Murray The K (center). In the late ’70s, Don decided to leave the record business for good. Too much temptation for a family man, he thought. And too few creative DJs. In 1981 Don and his lovely wife Linda (pregnant with their second child) bought an ice cream shop in Tarzana, California called The Creamery. They thought it would be a gold mine. They were wrong. So they worked their keesters off, got into the wholesale business, and began a catering division. These are photos of Don (photo on the left, 3rd from the left) and Linda (photo on the right) at one of their first hot fudge sundae bar catering gigs at the Directors’ Guild of America. This is how the catering division of their company—now with over 1,000 customers—got its start. They no longer have The Creamery, or any retail shop. But they have begun putting their homemade ice cream into pints, so once again regular folks can buy their product retail. Funny how things come full circle, even if they do take 20+ years. Don’s favorite part of doing business is dealing with people. He loves talking to his clients, making ice cream with them, and helping them promote their businesses. He loves selling his ice cream to new clients, finding out what they want, tempting them with great service. He just loves people. And he loves making people happy. Good thing he makes great ice cream.


STEPHANIE ARNE - MUTUAL OF OMAHA’S ‘WILD KINGDOM’

From the Exploration of the Tegu’s Invasion of the Florida Everglades, to the California Condor’s Return from Extinction, Wild Kingdom Returns. From its premiere 50 years ago, Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom has entertained, educated and inspired generations of Americans, bringing the world’s most exotic places and creatures right into Americans’ living rooms.      Now this entertainment icon is back, with a four-part webisode series that takes viewers from the soaring cliffs of Big Sur to the beauty of Florida's coral reef.

The webisodes will be under six minutes long, each telling a great wildlife or conservation story in a fun, yet informative way.   Each webisode will premiere on Sunday evenings at 6 p.m., CST throughout November.  After each of the four webisodes premiere, they will be viewable 24-7 on wildkingdom.com, and YouTube’s “Wild Kingdom TV” channel.

Stephanie Arne is Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom Wild Guide (host), a title she earned in 2013 as the winner of a nationwide contest in which individuals submitted videos illustrating why they should be the iconic program’s new “Wild Guide.”  She is currently the Education Coordinator at the Honolulu Zoological Society. As the new host, she brings her high energy to the online version of the show that features short, dynamic and fun webisodes exploring the modern-day Wild Kingdom.  She began her career at the Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium, as Education Outreach Coordinator.. She worked as a contracted educator for the U.S. military in Key West, Fla.; Iwakuni, Japan; and Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, before joining the Honolulu Zoological Society as a wildlife educator. On her quest to gain more experience working with wildlife, Arne then moved to San Diego for positions at Sea World and the San Diego Zoo. She worked on wildlife projects in Australia, New Zealand, Borneo and Papua New Guinea, including working with whale sharks on Ningaloo Reef in Western Australia, doing coral reef checks on the Great Barrier Reef and helping clean little blue penguins on the North Island of New Zealand.

11/01 PEGGY TROTT, INN AT LAGUNA BEACH, STEVE EVANS, THE MOVIE REPORT

PEGGY TROTT - INN AT LAGUNA BEACH 

A Southern California boutique escape for business and pleasure designed for an intimate and relaxed getaway. This Laguna Beach, CA hotel features 70 thoughtfully appointed accommodations, including spacious village and ocean front guest rooms. Poised atop a bluff near Heisler Park and overlooking the famous Main Beach, Laguna Village and Pacific Ocean, the view is unparalleled and the main attractions are within walking distance. Known as a premier American art colony, Laguna Beach offers a creative culture with an abundance of Zagat and Gayot rated restaurants, unique shopping boutiques, world-renowned art galleries and the annual Pageant of the Masters. For those seeking a business retreat, the Inn offers executive and ocean front meeting facilities for small groups of 2-40. Local catering cuisine and planning services are available.

RESTAURANTS: The INN AT LAGUNA BEACH offers coffee service with fresh baked goods, delivered to your guest room for $15. The Inn is within walking distance of 40 diverse restaurants offering an excellent variety of cuisine, including Mediterranean, Italian, Traditional American, Contemporary American and much more.

www.innatlagunabeach.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.

10/31 HAPPY HALLOWEEN, AUTHOR MAGGIE STUCKEY HELPS TO STRENGTHEN OUR COMMUNITIES ONE BOWL OF SOUP AT A TIME

MAGGIE STUCKEY – AUTHOR, ‘SOUP NIGHT’ 

It wasn’t that long ago that children freely played in the streets, neighbors exchanged good words, and a sense of togetherness filled the air. Now, the modern community reflects something similar to this: Men and women hurry home to immerse themselves in television shows, surf the internet, and chat online. The news continually highlights painful stories of destruction and war, and we look at ourselves and wonder, “How did the fabric of our communities unravel so far?” But amongst the fear that today’s media portrays is a wave of optimism that’s sweeping neighborhoods nationwide.

In her new cookbook Soup Night, Maggie Stuckey presents the story of this optimism through mouthwatering recipes and inspiring anecdotes collected from preexisting soup night groups. What Maggie has found and documented in this gorgeous four-color cookbook is that the humble idea of gathering friends and neighbors on a regular basis for a casual night of soup and sides has an extraordinarily positive ripple effect on children, senior citizens, families, and communities at large. The idea of breaking bread is deep-rooted in American tradition, but it’s now that our country needs to bond together, and Soup Night is the call to action that we’ve been waiting for.

Soup Night far extends the stories of these communities. This cookbook with a special personality offers more than 90 soup recipes, plus 40 more recipes for sides, salads, and desserts. With dishes like Asparagus-Leek Chowder, Vegetarian Eggplant Chili, Carolina Cornbread, and Lemon Ice Cream, readers will be savoring the local flavors of the season. Tips and tricks to hosting a soup night, stocking a soup pantry, and adapting recipes to fit any dietary need are interlaced throughout the pages of the book.

With simple ideas for gathering neighbors and friends together readers will be looking for any opportunity to make Soup Night a part of their lives.

Maggie Stuckey is a writer, who grows vegetables and cooks up a storm in her Portland, Oregon, home. The author of The Bountiful Container and seven other books on gardening and horticulture, she is happiest when tending her vegetable garden and using the outcome to create new soups.

10/30 Leslie Renaud, Lincourt Vineyards, Foley Estate, San Diego Food & Wine Festival, Larry Lipson, Costa Rica Wine Report

Leslie Renaud – Winmaker - Lincourt Vineyards & Foley Estate - San Diego Food & Wine Festival

San Diego Food & Wine Festival: As one of the largest wine and food festivals in the nation, the San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival has helped shine the light on San Diego's thriving food scene. We've got our eyes and ears peeled for the city's most drool-worthy restaurants and newest food trends to hit the streets, bringing you an epicurean experience unlike any other. The magnitude of culinary talent in San Diego combined with an international showcase of the world's premiere wines and spirits, and the nation's trendsetting culinary masters, makes attendance at the San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival a mouthwatering feast and precursor to the Thankgiving holiday.

About Leslie: Leslie graduated from the University of Michigan with a Bachelor’s Degree in Natural Resources, with an emphasis in aquatic resource management. After school her appreciation for nature led to several years of working for the Forest Service in Oregon, hooting for spotted owls in the forests of Mt. Hood. Next she relocated to California where she worked as an urban forester with PG&E. Leslie’s career path took a significant turn when she applied for a position as a lab technician at Ironstone Vineyards in Calaveras County. She quickly realized the wine industry’s combination of science and artistry was perfectly suited to her own talents and interests.

Committing to a career in winemaking, Leslie moved to Sonoma County to be in the heart of the wine country. There she worked at Clos du Bois, Sonoma Creek Winery, and Hans Fahden Vineyards, adding to her knowledge base and honing her skills. She later moved to Santa Cruz and became the production manager at Bonny Doon Winery. In 2005 she joined Talley Vineyards as an enologist, quickly moving up to Assistant Winemaker, and then was promoted to Winemaker in January of 2007. She joined the Foley Wine Group in August of 2010, assuming her current duties as Winemaker for both Lincourt Vineyards and Foley Estate.

Leslie is the Chairperson for the World of Pinot Noir, her second time serving in this capacity for the popular Central Coast event. She is constantly seeking to expand her knowledge of wines and winemaking, which has lead to her enrollment in the WSET Diploma Program. Leslie is a fan of the SF 49ers and Peter Gabriel, has sky dived (once), and loves to travel. She enjoys great food (both eating and cooking), extremely cold martinis, dogs (she has two at the moment), the outdoors, motorcycles, and convertibles.





LARRY LIPSON - Costa Rica Report       

For fifty years Larry Lipson was the food critic for the Los Angeles Daily News and now reports from Costa Rica 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. 

10/29 Patsy McGaughy, Napa Valley Vintners, Christy Jordan

PATSY MCGAUGHY - COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR, NAPA VALLEY VINTNERS  

A seamless year of steady weather and optimal ripening brings in above average yields and excellent quality fine wine grapes.

St. Helena, CA: The Napa Valley Vintners (NVV) reports that the region’s winemakers expect to be done with the 2013 harvest within the next week. “Early, even and excellent” are three words being used to describe this year’s growing season and the Napa Valley wine grapes that have come from it, reflecting the consistent quality for which this world famous wine region is known.

A warm, dry spring brought early bud break, helped with canopy vigor and berry size and created ideal conditions for flowering and fruit set under sunny skies. With the exception of one heat spike in late June/early July, temperatures were consistently in the zone for optimal vine activity, resulting in notably healthy vines as fruit went through veraison and started ripening.

The August 1 start of harvest was the earliest in recent history. White wine grapes came in at a furious pace throughout that month, moving on to lighter reds by early September. Two brief mid-September rains had virtually no impact on the grapes. The vast majority of the more delicate skinned grapes had already been harvested and sunny weather with breezes followed the rains, allowing for the mostly Cabernet Sauvignon that remained to dry out almost immediately. The cooler, sunny weather throughout October allowed the final grapes still on the vine to linger longer, developing more phenolic and flavor maturities with sugar levels remaining steady.

As this harvest comes to a close, it is about two weeks earlier than other Napa Valley harvests in the last decade. Yields on the whole have been above average.

“In a nutshell, this vintage has given us the extraordinary gift of enabling us to pick exactly what we wanted, when we wanted, at perfect ripeness and ideal hang time,” noted Paul Colantuoni, winemaker at Rocca Family Vineyards.

Winemakers from around the valley agree the 2013 vintage holds exceptional promise and potential and exceeded expectations following on the heels of 2012 – another year that has been described as “nearly perfect.”

To relive the Napa Valley 2013 harvest experience, visit napavintners.com/harvest to view more than 800 candid photos, videos chronicling the season from Carneros to Calistoga and hillside to valley floor, along with two harvest-themed word games developed by the NVV.

CHRISTY JORDAN - FOUNDER OF SOUTHERNPLATE.COM AND AUTHOR

COME Home to Supper by Christy Jordan, reflects the reality of today’s family schedules, gathering more than 200 deeply satisfying dishes that are budget-conscious, kid-friendly, and quick to make. These are the everyday meals that Christy most loves to cook and her family most loves to eat, and she serves them up with generous helpings of her folksy wisdom, gratitude, and lively stories.