8/15 AIMEE SHERIDAN, AUCTION OF WASHINGTON WINES, BOB BERTHEAU, CHATEAU STE MICHELLE

MIKE AND PAUL ARE LIVE FROM CHATEAU STE. MICHELLE IN WASHINGTON! 

AIMEE SHERIDAN - EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, AUCTION OF WASHINGTON WINES

ABOUT AUCTION: The Auction of Washington Wines is the 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization of the Washington wine industry and has raised more than $30 million since its inception in 1988.

It’s the wine event of the year! THE 27TH ANNUAL AUCTION OF WASHINGTON WINES includes three days of sampling superb wines, visiting with leading winemakers and growers and celebrating Washington’s bounty. We’re personally looking forward to the opportunity to support two deserving local causes and savor cuisine created by acclaimed regional chefs. Join us for one day or all three—you’re sure to enjoy this year’s Auction of Washington Wines! Sample world-class wines, and savor local cuisine created by acclaimed regional chefs. Meet the winemakers. Toast new friends. Your participation at Auction of Washington Wines benefits uncompensated care at Seattle Children’s Hospital and supports the winemakers of tomorrow through viticulture and enology research at WSU.

We are grateful to Washington winemakers, our dedicated sponsors and generous guests like you for coming together each year to support these eagerly anticipated events. Join us at one or all three days and make a difference for a healthier and more vital Washington.

ABOUT AIMEE: Executive director responsibilities include organizational management and growth of the Auction of Washington Wines (AWW), including leadership, strategic planning, fundraising and donor development.

Aimee brings more than twenty years of non-profit leadership to this role, previously raising financial support for organizations such as Boys & Girls Clubs, The Salvation Army and PAWS. During her tenure with these organizations, she was not only charged with strategic planning, organizational development, team dynamics and capacity building; Aimee also facilitated major events such as the PAWS Wild Night gala and auction, which set fundraising records year after year, and a million dollar gala and 1500 person breakfast for Boys & Girls Clubs.

A native of Eastern Washington, Aimee was raised in a family of farmers, giving her an agricultural savvy that will provide depth when interfacing with the vineyards. In her down time, Aimee spends time at home with her husband and their children, dogs and cat.

WWW.AUCTIONOFWASHINGTONWINES.ORG


BOB BERTHEAU – WINEMAKER, CHATEAU STE MICHELLE 

ABOUT CHATEAU STE MICHELLE: Chateau Ste. Michelle combines Old World winemaking traditions with New World innovation. In fact, Chateau Ste. Michelle is one of the few premium wineries in the world with two state-of-the-art wineries, one for red and one for white. The whites are made at the Chateau in Woodinville, WA, while the reds are made at our Canoe Ridge Estate winery in Eastern Washington.

RESPONSIBILITY                                                                                                                        
At Chateau Ste. Michelle, the health and vitality of our community is integral to how we do business. We take great care in making mindful, sustainable decisions that promote the long-term wellness of the communities we serve—the people, the environment, the businesses. Above all, we promote a safe culture of balance and moderation, and foster an honest, collaborative spirit within the industry to keep forging continued innovation in sustainable practices. As industry leaders, we demand of ourselves continual betterment. It is our responsibility to act in a way that inspires trust and confidence in our company and our products for years to come.

SUSTAINABILITY                                                                                                                      
At the Chateau, we appreciate where we're going as much as where we've been. Because of this, we've made sustainability a huge priority. It fills us with pride to know that we've been acknowledged as an industry leader. Our conservation efforts include the reduction of energy consumption, water conservation and solid waste reduction and management. We've implemented a wide range of winery recycling programs for materials such as glass, paper, cardboard, pallets, stretch wrap, cell phones, batteries and fluorescent bulbs. For our efforts, we've also become a Washington State certified EnviroStar business. And, since the 2009 vintage, both Cold Creek and Canoe Ridge Estate vineyards received LIVE and Salmon Safe certification.

WINEMAKING PHILOSOPHY                                                                                                          
Our winemaking philosophy is to highlight the style, quality and expression of our Washington state vineyards. We strive to respect the varietal characters and individuality of each location, yet still craft each wine to give you a pleasurable, food friendly experience.

ABOUT BOB: Bob has maintained Chateau Ste. Michelle’s legacy of crafting awarding-winning Chardonnay, Riesling, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, while putting his own signature on the wines. “I have learned from Ernst Loosen, our German winemaking partner on Eroica Riesling, how to protect fruit purity and produce fresh, fruit-driven Rieslings.

Prior to joining Chateau Ste. Michelle, Bob made his mark at Hambrecht Vineyards and Wineries with their Belvedere and Bradford Mountain labels. In his formative years out of UC Davis, he gained valuable mentoring from such renowned winemakers as Bob Sessions at Hanzell Vineyards and David Ramey at Chalk Hill. Wanting to gain an even broader experience with a wide variety of grapes and viticulture areas, Bob also worked at Gallo of Sonoma for five years, helping to bring a smaller winery mentality to the larger facility.

For Bob, the move to Chateau Ste. Michelle in 2003 was not only the chance to make wine for one of Washington’s most acclaimed wineries, it was a chance to come home. He was born in Seattle, went to school in nearby Idaho, and has most of his family living in the Seattle area. Bob has a degree in chemistry from Boise State University and an MS in food science and enology from University of California at Davis.

WWW.STE-MICHELLE.COM

8/14 LARRY MANETTI, HEATHER MURAN – EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, SAN LUIS OBISPO WINE COUNTRY ASSOCIATION - HARVEST ON THE COAST

LARRY MANETTI – ACTOR, AUTHOR AND RADIO HOST - SHARES SOME OF HIS BEST RECIPES 

Larry Manetti started acting in his hometown of Chicago. After studying acting with the Ted List Theater Players, Larry drove to Los Angeles in 1972. Larry landed an agent and was sent to Universal Studios to audition for an opening as a contract player.

Luck was on his side. Jack Webb was casting a new series for NBC called The Chase. Larry played a young detective. After attending acting school at Sal Dano's at night and doing bit parts by day, he scored. Baa Baa Black Sheep was being produced and cast at Universal, and the now famous writer Stephen J. Cannell was the executive producer and the role was a natural for Larry. He was cast as a cocky, hot shot pilot named Bobby Boyle. The show was a big hit for NBC but was cancelled within two years. Because the network was so impressed with Larry's on-screen presence, they cast him in a new series called The Duke. Bad luck! The Duke was cancelled in one year. Larry was back to playing whatever Universal told him to.

Hoping to catch lighting in a jar, along came Magnum, P.I. and the role of Rick. This was his elevator...the show became a mega-hit for 8 years. Since Magnum, P.I., Larry has done co-starring roles in 25 feature films and guest starred on many hot TV shows. Larry is the author of a book titled Aloha Magnum. As for the future ... just follow his jet stream!

LARRY'S BOOK "ALOHA MAGNUM" IS BACK IN LIMITED PRINT AND IS AVAILABLE FOR SALE.

In Aloha Magnum, the first-ever book about Magnum, P.I., I tell all!

I cover the hit series, my wild childhood, my crazy days in Hollywood on series like Battlestar Galatica and Baa Baa Black Sheep, my moonlighting as a prominent restaurateur, my escapades with the rich, famous and especially the outrageous.

I reveal what really went on behind the scenes during Magnum, P.I.'s  successful eight-year run - including my friendship with sex-symbol Tom Selleck and co-stars Roger E. Mosely and John Hillerman.  I recount my sometimes rowdy, but always amusing encounters with Hollywood's elite, including how I worked with Frank Sinatra, annoyed Elvis Presley and helped launch Michelle Pfeiffer's career.

LARRYMANETTI.COM


HEATHER MURAN – EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, SAN LUIS OBISPO WINE COUNTRY ASSOCIATION - HARVEST ON THE COAST, NOVEMBER 7-9, 2014

Enjoy the transcendent sights, scents and flavors of this signature season as we present our annual Harvest on the Coast Celebration Weekend, a rambunctious extravaganza of local food and wine.

The main event is an outdoor grand tasting and auction on Saturday, November 8th  featuring wine tasting, artisan foods, live music from local artists and live music by Cuesta Ridge. The auction features a broad selection of rare wines, culinary treats and SLO Wine Country destination experiences.  Along with the array of wine and lifestyle packages, you'll have a chance to raise a paddle and support local non-profits during the fund-a-need live auction lot.

The festivities unfold throughout the weekend beginning Friday, November 7th with our collaborative winemaker dinner, "Crafted on the Coast".  Saturday, November 8th is the Grand Tasting and Wine Auction, with 60+wineries and restaurants paired up, featuring a live and silent auction.  Sunday, November 9th you'll enjoy complimentary open houses, all free with your Grand Tasting Ticket! Don’t miss this opportunity to dive into our harvest season—it’s the next best thing to making the wine yourself!

WWW.SLOWINE.COM

8/13 CHEF WILLIAM S. BLOXSOM CARTER, PLAYBOY MANSION, NATIONAL FILET MIGNON DAY

CHEF WILLIAM S. BLOXSOM-CARTER - EXECUTIVE CHEF/FOOD & BEVERAGE DIRECTOR, PLAYBOY MANSION - NATIONAL FILET MIGNON DAY

Filet mignon is the star of the show TODAY as people across the country annually celebrate National Filet Mignon Day.

• Filet mignon is French for “cute fillet” or “dainty fillet”.
• In French, filet mignon may be called “filet de boeuf”, which translates to beef fillet in English.
• When found on a French menu, filet mignon may also refer to pork rather than beef.

Usually from a steer or heifer, a filet mignon is a steak cut of beef taken from the smaller end of the tenderloin of the beef carcass.

The tenderloin from which the filet mignon comes from, is the most tender cut of beef and is also considered the most desirable and therefore the most expensive.

Filet mignon is commonly cut into 1 inch to 2 inch thick portions, grilled and then served as is.  When found in grocery stores, filet mignon is already cut into bacon wrapped portions.  The usual method for cooking the filet mignon is to cook it on high heat by either grilling, pan frying, broiling or roasting.   Restaurants may sometimes prepare the fillets served in a cognac cream sauce, au poivre with peppercorns or in a red wine reduction.
Due to the low levels of fat found in the fillets, bacon is often used in cooking.  The bacon is wrapped around the fillet and pinned closed with a wooden toothpick.  Flavor is added from the bacon and this process keeps the fillet from drying out during the cooking process.

ABOUT CHEF WILLIAM BLOXSOM CARTER:

Chef William S. Bloxsom-Carter has worked as the Executive Chef, and Food and Beverage Director for the Playboy Mansion West for over two and half decades. A frequent wine judge he constantly looks for wines to pair with his foods for the multitude of foods he presents to guest at the Mansion; this can mean an intimate dinner party of 12, or upwards of 1,200 people. Complementing his responsibilities for Playboy Enterprises, Chef Carter has prepared winery dinners in Sonoma County, Napa Valley, Paso Robles and the Santa Ynez Valley as well as special events for high-profile clients throughout the United States, focusing on the importance of food and wine pairings and extraordinary hospitality service. Additionally, Chef Carter is a recurring featured guest on numerous radio shows syndicated nationwide describing and promoting California wines and foods.

8/12 VICTORIA STILWELL, PURINA, BRANDON STAGLIN, 20TH ANNUAL MUSIC FESTIVAL FOR BRAIN HEALTH

VICTORIA STILWELL, CELEBRITY DOG TRAINER - CARING FOR AGING PETS 

Can you imagine no longer being able to play fetch with your dog? Or what if he forgot how to sit for his favorite treat? Simple physical and cognitive functions such as these can often be impaired as pet’s age. In fact, fifty-one percent of dog owners are not aware that dogs can suffer from cognitive decline as a side effect of aging, according to a recent survey.

To help sustain healthier brains as they enter the latter stages of life, pet food solutions for middle-aged pets can help strengthen brain cells and maintain cognitive function well into their senior years. This new nutritional enrichment targets metabolic changes and risk factors linked to brain aging. It is a unique formulation that has been shown to support cats’ and dogs’ learning capabilities and memories, and is designed for pets to start consuming in middle age. These efforts build off of the successes in medium chain triglycerides (MCTs) which are used to improve memory function in senior dogs.  

ABOUT VICTORIA:
Victoria Stilwell is a world-renowned dog trainer, TV personality, author and public speaker best known as the star of the international hit TV series Greatest American Dog and It's Me or the Dog.  The torchbearer for force-free positive reinforcement dog training methods, Stilwell is the Editor-in-Chief of Positively.com and is the CEO of both Victoria Stilwell, Inc. and Victoria Stilwell Positively Dog Training (VSPDT):  the world’s premier global network of positive reinforcement dog trainers. A co-founder of the National Dog Bite Prevention Task Force, Stilwell is also committed to helping the cause of animal rescue and rehabilitation. Appearing frequently in the global media, Stilwell is widely recognized as a leader in the field of animal behavior.

www.purina.com/healthybrainfordogs 


BRANDON STAGLIN - 20TH ANNUAL MUSIC FESTIVAL FOR BRAIN HEALTH - SEPTEMBER 13 & 14, 2014 IN THE NAPA VALLEY

The 20th Anniversary Music Festival for Brain Health: A Weekend of Science and Sizzle!

Come revel in a weekend of learning, music, wine, cuisine, and camaraderie, hosted by IMHRO, ONE MIND for Research and the Tug McGraw Foundation. Proceeds fund research to better understand, diagnose, treat, prevent and cure severe brain diseases and injuries.

On Saturday, September 13, Staglin Family Vineyard will host a symposium featuring a keynote by Dr. Eric Lander, a wine reception in the caves featuring 70+ superstar wineries with hors d'oeuvres by Chefs Ken Frank and Richard Reddington, a "rising star" concert feature the blues-rock quartet Vintage Trouble, and dinner by Jan Birnbaum, Staffan Terje and Mark Dommen.

On Sunday, September 14, the Napa Valley Performing Arts Center at Lincoln Theater will host a Food Truck Fest, an fStop Warrior Project Exhibit and Music Festival auction, and a Premier concert by American singer-songwriter Jewel.

ABOUT BRANDON:
Brandon Staglin is Director of Marketing Communications for both Staglin Family Vineyard and the International Mental Health Research Organization (IMHRO). Having overcome many challenges in his life, including the diagnosis of schizophrenia in 1990, Brandon's strength, intelligence and passion add a tremendous value to both organizations. Graduating from Dartmouth College in 1993 with degrees in Engineering Sciences and Anthropology, he began to pursue his childhood dream in aerospace engineering. Later, he made a career change and began working in website development. Today, Brandon oversees the web design, content and development for both websites. A highlight of his work is his video feature and open Q&A session to connect the public with mental health scientists, posted monthly on the IMHRO website. Several years ago Brandon married Nancy Abreu and the two live happily in Napa with their dog Cooper.

8/11 STEVE HOFSTETTER, FOX'S NEWEST STAND UP SHOW ‘LAUGHS’, JOE SHIRLEY, NAPA CELLARS

STEVE HOFSTETTER – HOST OF FOX'S NEWEST STAND UP SHOW ‘LAUGHS’

You may know Steve Hofstetter from his YouTube Channel, where he seems to constantly be getting heckled during his stand-up shows. Now, the Sports Illustrated columnist-turned-comic is taking his show from the road, to TV, with the debut of “Laughs” on FOX and MyNetwork stations. “Laughs” will serve as a weekly comedy roundup offering comedians a chance to create online submissions and use the show as a platform for their talents.

ABOUT STEVE:                                                                      Author, columnist, and comedian Steve Hofstetter is often called the hardest working man in show-business. With all due respect to the late James Brown.

Hofstetter's national TV debut came on ESPN's Quite Frankly, where Stephen A. Smith yelled at him for three minutes. Hofstetter has also appeared on CBS' "Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson," Showtime's "White Boyz in the Hood," VH1's "Countdown," Sundance's "On the Road in America," and ABC's "Barbara Walter's Special," where he thankfully did not cry. He is the host and executive producer of "Laughs" on Fox networks, where he only cries occasionally.

One of the top booked acts on the college circuit, the original writer for collegehumor.com has also released five albums and three books. Hofstetter has written humor columns for the New York Times, SportsIllustrated.com, and NHL.com, where he publicly admitted to being a Ranger fan.

After hosting Four Quotas on Sirius Satellite Radio for two seasons, Hofstetter moved to broadcast radio, and his Sports Minute (Or So) was syndicated on over 170 stations and in over 30 newspapers. Hofstetter's second live comedy album ("Cure For the Cable Guy") reached #20 on Billboard's comedy charts. His third album ("Dark Side of the Room") was the first ever pay-what-you-want" comedy album, since people were going to steal it anyway. His fourth album consisted of an hour of 100% ad-libbed material, which is, frankly, nuts. And his fifth album hit #1 on iTunes' comedy charts, which is also a bit nuts.

Hofstetter's brutal tour schedule consists of over 100 colleges and dozens of clubs every year, and is fueled by an immense online popularity, tons of press, and a Prius with great gas mileage. He reached 200,000 friends on Facebook and 400,000 more on MySpace, and high shelves in grocery stores.

While Hofstetter's live shows are routinely sold out, he is best known for his writing, first published at age 15, mainly to impress girls. At 18, he co-founded "Sports Jerk of the Week," an irreverent website featured by press like USA Today's Baseball Weekly, Sports Illustrated and CNN. And at 20, Hofstetter took a year off of school to head up web content for the New York Yankees. The Yankees won the World Series that year, which would have been wonderful if they hadn't beaten Hofstetter's Mets. Yes, he's also a Mets fan. Poor kid.

While an undergraduate at Columbia University, Hofstetter was a well-read columnist for the Columbia Daily Spectator and a voice of the Lions. After a summer writing for Maxim, ESPN, and Sports Illustrated for Kids, Hofstetter turned his column into two books, and syndicated it in several newspapers.


JOE SHIRLEY – WINEMAKER, NAPA CELLARS  

In 1839, settler George Calbert Yount planted the first wine grapes in the Napa Valley where fruit and nut trees already flourished in the valley’s rare soils and mild Mediterranean climate. Other pioneers soon followed Yount’s lead and by 1861, the valley’s first commercial winery had opened its doors.  Destiny quickly found its course. Just 28 years later, more than 140 wineries had been established. Two historic events led to the Napa Valley we know today.

In 1968, Napa Valley winery owners and grape growers joined forces to have Napa Valley declared the country’s first agricultural preserve. The timing couldn’t have been more perfect. City sprawl and freeways soon transformed nearby agricultural regions into bedroom communities for San Francisco. Napa was protected.

Then in 1976, a blind tasting held in Paris pitted a Napa Valley wine against the best wines of Bordeaux and Burgundy. The Napa Valley wine won, and the world’s perception of Napa Valley changed forever.

The same year that Napa was granted the status of agricultural preserve, self-made man Charlie R. Woods founded our winery on five and a half acres of prime Oakville soil. In the 1970s, he built a geodesic dome there to store barreled wine, and he concentrated on making reds, in particular Zinfandel and Cabernet Sauvignon.

The winery changed hands a number of times before being purchased in 1996 by Koerner Rombauer and Rich Frank. That’s when we earned our reputation for rich, buttery Chardonnay—a style that was becoming popular in the United States at the time.

A decade later, the Trinchero family was looking for a winery property that would capture the essence of Napa. Napa Cellars, with its ideal Oakville location and fame for luscious Chardonnay and authentic Napa reds, was the obvious choice. Winemaker Joe Shirley came on board a year later, in 2007. He has since introduced French oak to our Chardonnay for a more balanced and contemporary style of wine.

Though Napa Valley is small—30 miles long and only a few miles across as its widest point—its varied microclimates and soils make it possible to successfully grow a variety of wine grapes. That gives us the luxury to choose the best fruit for each wine we make without ever having to look beyond the Napa Valley.

ABOUT JOE:                                                                                                                                           Joe is that rare bird known as a California native. He was born in Long Beach, raised in Napa Valley and after high school headed back down south to earn his Bachelor of Arts degree in Exercise Physiology from Occidental College in Los Angeles.

Just a short time later, Joe enrolled at the University of California, Davis where he received a Master of Science in Enology. After college, Joe launched his winemaking career at Sonoma-Cutrer in 1997. He joined Trinchero Family Estates in 1999 as enologist and worked his way up to winemaker for Trinchero Family Selection and Trinchero Napa Wines in 2002. In 2007, Joe accepted the position as head winemaker for Napa Cellars.

Beyond the artistic side of winemaking, Joe is also a leader in the technical aspects of his craft. His work on grape seed tannins was published in the American Journal of Enology and Viticulture. Joe also researched and a co-authored a letter published in the Lancet (the British equivalent of the Journal of the American Medical Association) on the phenolic content of chocolate.

Joe makes his home in Napa with wife Monette and daughter Savannah. In his spare time Joe follows baseball, enjoys beer and power tools, and does the NY Times’ Sunday crossword puzzle in pen. Joe once bowled a 252.

NAPACELLARS.COM

8/8 ROYA SOLEIMANI, GOOGLE,CHEF SCOTT MCGILL, TS RESTAURANTS, KFRESH FRIDAYS, STEVE EVANS

ROYA SOLEIMANI - TRENDS MANAGER, GOOGLE - 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.

The 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. Encompassing searches from across pop culture, sports, music, politics, news, and more a Google Trends Manager, is available every Friday to discuss five of the hottest trending queries on the web. GOOGLE.COM/TRENDS

TOP TREND THIS WEEK
• Monkey Selfie
• Becky Hammon
• Hurricane Iselle
• Big Bang Theory
• Malia Obama


CHEF SCOTT - EXECUTIVE CHEF, TS RESTAURANTS AT MULTIPLE LOCATIONS ON OAHU, KAUAI AND MAUI INCLUDING HULA AND LEILANIʻS - KFRESH FRIDAYS

Scott has lived in Hawaii for 19 years working with TS Restaurants at multiple locations on Oahu, Kauai and Maui. Throughout his tenure at TS Restaurants, Scott McGill brings innovation to menu development while respecting the traditions and successes of each restaurants concept.

Prior to TS Restaurants, Scott opened many restaurants in the famous Gas lamp District of San Diego. One of 63 Level III Certified Executive Chefs by the American Culinary Federation at the Culinary Institute of America in New York.

Formally chef trained at the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco with additional certifications from The Greystone Culinary School in Napa Valley California.

He is married to wife Amy and has two sons Jake and Sheamus. They live in Kahana, Maui with their two dogs Kimo and Makena. Scott enjoys racing Ironman Triathlons, swimming, biking, running, surfing and scuba diving.

ABOUT KFRESH
In two years, Ka‘anapali Fresh has become ‘the most blogged about’ culinary destination event on Maui. Produced and hosted by Ka‘anapali Beach Resort Association, (whose members include resort hotels and condominiums, world-class golf courses, shopping centers, restaurants and ocean activity providers) the three-day festival features Maui-inspired cuisine paired with local farms and international wines and spirits.

It’s our credo that good food brings people together no matter where they’re from … We invite you August 29 – 31, 2014 to explore the bounty of the island with dishes creatively prepared by our resort chefs as well as celebrity chefs from Hawai‘i. Discover new ways to build cocktails with fresh ingredients, explore a Maui farm, and experience authentic Hawaiian culture.

Along the way, indulge in the beauty of Hawai‘i’s legendary master-planned resort at Ka‘anapali: stroll on America’s Best Beach, frolic with marine life in the clear blue sea or simply enjoy the warm sun and lush landscape.

WWW.KAANAPALIFRESH.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.

8/6 JULIE MICHAELS, SHAMELESS, LARRY VAN AALST

JULIE MICHAELS – STUNT COORDINATOR FOR SHOWTIME’S HIT SHOW, “SHAMELESS” – FIRST WOMAN TO RECEIVE AN EMMY NOMINATION FOR OUTSTANDING STUNT COORDINATION FOR A COMEDY

Julie Michaels is the first woman to receive a nomination for this category. The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences has announced that Julie Michaels has been nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Stunt Coordination for Showtime’s hit show, “Shameless” for the Creative Arts Emmy Awards on August 16th in Los Angeles.

Julie Michaels is the first woman ever to receive a nomination in this category.  If Julie should win, she will be the first woman to receive a Prime Time Emmy as a Stunt Coordinator.  Julie not only was the stunt coordinator on the show but performed the stunt that crashed a car through a building.

Julie is married to two-time Emmy winning Stunt Coordinator, Peewee Piemonte; he won both of his Emmy’s for John Well’s show “SouthLAnd”. Together they have two children, Vincent and Victoria, ages 20 and 10.  Both are stunt actors and recently worked on Robert Rodriguez’s new series for the El Rey Network called “Matador”.

Julie, born on an Air Force base in Washington State while her father was an MP.  She made her mark in the film and television industry when she worked opposite Patrick Swayze in Joel Silver’s “Road House”.  She later took on Keanu Reeves in “Point Break” where she was tagged as “The babe that nuked Keanu” after a very graphic fight scene.  Trained by Sensei Benny “The Jet” Urquidez, Julie has become well known as an actress with a strong martial arts background.  After she met and married Stunt Coordinator and 2nd Unit director Peewee Piemonte, she concentrated on his career and learned the art of Stunt Coordination.  Today, Julie and Peewee work together on shows like ‘The Newsroom’ for Aaron Sorkin and HBO, “Matador’ for Robert Rodriguez and the El Rey Network.

LARRY VAN AALST – SONOMA WINE REPORT

LARRY HOSTS A WEEKLY PROGRAM ON CRN AND ALSO IS AN EXPERT ON WINE WHO IS SOUGHT AFTER FOR EVENTS, TASTES AND MAJOR SOMMELIER EVENTS IN THE SAN FRANCISCO AREA. HE COMMENTS ON THE INDUSTRY AND HIS THOUGHTS ABOUT WINE.

8/5 SAM CHILDERS, THE MACHINE GUN PREACHER, PAUL COLANTUONI, ROCCA FAMILY VINEYARDS

SAM CHILDERS THE MACHINE GUN PREACHER - MEET SAM DURING HIS LA AREA TOUR, AUGUST 1-12

The public is invited to join the Machine Gun Preacher, Sam Childers at a series of special documentary screening and book signing events in the Los Angeles Area August 1st -12th.

Sam Childers, the Machine Gun Preacher, invites the public to join him for a series of special events during his Los Angeles Area Tour Friday August 1st thru Monday August 11th.

Sam Childers' life was the subject to a Hollywood movie, The Machine Gun Preacher starring heartthrob Gerard Butler as Sam Childers - Based on his bestselling book "Another Man's War". It illustrates the real life challenges that Sam experienced in Africa, the US and to a certain extent even today.

Sam Childers overcame a life of drugs and violence to embrace his faith in God and wage a 13-year war to free enslaved children in what are some of the most dangerous areas of South Sudan/Africa - His organization, Angels of East Africa maintains orphanages in South Sudan, Ethiopia and Northern Uganda. Late last year, 2013 a bloody coup attempt began that turned into tribal war in South Sudan...that conflict continues today. Sam and his team are actively involved in rescuing children in that area right now.

Please make plans to meet Sam Childers, the Machine Gun Preacher face-to-face and hear his motivational and inspiring message at one of the LA Tour events.

WWW.MACHINEGUNPREACHER.ORG


PAUL COLANTUONI – WINEMAKER, ROCCA FAMILY VINEYARDS -   NAMED "NAPA VALLEY ORGANIC WINERY OF THE YEAR

Rocca Family Vineyards is proud to be named the Napa Valley Organic Winery of The Year at the prestigious 2014 New York International Wine Competition.

"This award is especially meaningful to us," says winemaker Paul Colantuoni, "as our organic farming practices speak to the very heart of our winemaking philosophy at Rocca. It all starts with the very best grape that Mother Nature can provide, then allowing that grape to speak for itself."

Both of Rocca's Napa estates - the Collinetta Vineyard in Coombsville and the Grigsby Vineyard in Yountville - are Certified Organic.

OUR STORY
The idea for Rocca Family Vineyards began many years ago, in the minds of proprietors Mary Rocca and Eric Grigsby. Eric grew up with the stories of his father, a Tennessee farmer-turned-salesman, reminding him of their close connection with the earth and the bounty it bore. Mary, born in the rolling hills of northern California, spent many warm summer days working in her mother’s vegetable garden. Picking prunes and walnuts out of nearby orchards late each year inspired an awe for the bountiful harvest a carefully tended plot of land could produce. While launching their respective careers - Mary as a cosmetic dentist, and Eric as a physician - the pair dreamed of the day when they could re-establish this kind of connection with the land they loved.

In 1999, that dream came to fruition. A three-year search for the perfect vineyard finally yielded results: a 21-acre vineyard nestled deep in the heart of the Napa Valley, where the pair had made their home for over a decade. After renaming the new parcel The Grigsby Vineyard, Mary devoted her full attention to the new project, while Eric continued to cultivate a career as one of the nation’s most respected pain management physicians. Mary’s first years in the wine business were hectic, to say the least: With four children under the age of 13, a family grocery store on the West Marin Coast to manage, and the steep learning curve of running the world-class Grigsby Vineyard, just keeping it all together was an achievement in itself.

Mary called upon renowned winemaker Celia Welch Masyczek to produce the label’s first vintages. The debut bottling was the 2000 Syrah, a varietal which to this day garners praise and awards for the Rocca family. But Rocca really got on the map in 2002, when its Grigsby Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon came in #1 in a blind tasting of 12 Rising Star Cabernets at the Vintners Club tasting in the U.S. Later, the wine was taken with a group of 12 other Cabernets to show in France's 12 Best Cabernets from California. It came in #1 over there as well. Finally, those same 12 Cabs had another blind tasting competition in SF to see how they would rank by American consumers. We came in #1 again! Rocca’s star was rising fast.

The following year, Mary purchased the 11-acre Colinetta Vineyard, planted on a small hill in the Coombsville Appellation, several miles east of downtown Napa. These two vineyards produce some of the Valley’s finest winegrapes, and in turn, some of the Valley’s finest wines. In 2008, Celia passed the winemaking baton to Paul Colantuoni, who has continued to produce world-class wines under the Rocca label. His non-interventionist approach to winemaking allows the unique characteristics of each vineyard, and each growing season, to shine.“These sites have all of the pieces in place to make world-class wine, so my job is mainly to stand out of the fruit’s way,” he says.

Years of accolades in the press and popular opinion have established Rocca as one of the industry’s finest wine producers, a reputation the team is happy to uphold.

WWW.ROCCAWINES.COM

8/4 JEFFREY BLAIR, BLAIR WINES, FAMILY WINEMAKERS OF CALIFORNIA TASTING, BILL DAVIDSON, THE HARLEY-DAVIDSON MUSEUM, 2014 STURGIS RALLY

JEFFREY BLAIR -  BLAIR WINES - FAMILY WINEMAKERS OF CALIFORNIA TASTING ON SUNDAY, AUGUST 17

Family Winemakers presents its 1st tasting of small, family-owned wineries from across California in San Mateo after 23 years in San Francisco.  The San Mateo Tasting is open to trade and wine media, as well as consumers.  Also featured will be the iSip Lounge for specially ticketed consumer who want to taste wine retailing for $75 or more.
Trade pre-registration open from June 20 - July 29.  Consumer tickets on sale now.

ABOUT BLAIR WINES
Delfina’s Vineyard is the very heart and soul of the Blair Estates’ label. Named after our matriarch and beloved grandmother, the vineyard sits on the very first property purchased by our family’s grandparents in the 1920s. Delfina’s house still holds pride of place on the estate, where she would daily cook for the family and ranch workers. She inspired generations of our family; her passion for the land is the core value for our wines.

Beginning in 2007, Delfina’s grandson Jeffrey Blair began planting Pinot Noir on the family’s old ranch. Jeffrey knew the potential for winegrowing in the area, given the success of vineyard estates in the Arroyo Seco and neighboring Santa Lucia Highlands’ appellations.

The goal? To grow and produce the ultimate statement Pinot Noir; a Pinot Noir focused on this one piece of land, one piece of family history. Nothing less will suffice to honor Delfina’s memory. Today, Delfina’s Vineyard and the Blair Estate is planted to just over five acres of Pinot Noir, almost two acres of Chardonnay, and one block of Muscat. The “micro” nature of the project allows complete and total quality control from the vineyard to the bottling line – for truly artisan, limited releases of Blair Pinot Noir.

WWW.BLAIRWINES.COM
WWW.FAMILYWINEMAKERS.ORG


BILL DAVIDSON - VICE PRESIDENT OF THE HARLEY-DAVIDSON MUSEUM – HARLEY DAVIDSON® IGNITES 2014 STURGIS RALLY

HARLEY-DAVIDSON® IGNITES 2014 STURGIS RALLY - NEW ACTIVITIES, DEMOS, RIDES AND MORE: Great-Grandson of Company Co-Founder Shares Details on 74th Annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in the Black Hills of South Dakota

Harley-Davidson® is kicking off the 74th Annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in the Black Hills of South Dakota with a full arsenal of new events and activities that will electrify all motorcycle enthusiasts.

The highly anticipated rally runs from Saturday, August 2 through Saturday, August 9 and Harley-Davidson is pulling out the stops to make this year the biggest one yet. With so many new activities at this year’s Rally, Harley-Davidson created a free mobile app to help attendees navigate the thrilling week of festivities. On top of that, Harley-Davidson will be showcasing Project LiveWire, Harley-Davidson’s first electric motorcycle, along with its brand-new Street 750.

For more information, visit Harley Davidson’s website at www.harley-davidson.com/sturgis.

Bill Davidson is the great-grandson of the company’s co-founder, William A. Davidson. He began riding Harley’s at the age of seven and currently serves as the Vice President of the Harley-Davidson Museum.

8/01 EARL JONES, ABACELA, LES, KINCAID, INTERNATIONAL ALBARINO DAY, STEVE EVANS

GUEST HOST LES KINCAID FROM WINES DU JOUR JOINS MIKE AND PAUL FROM THE BEAUTIFUL SOUTH POINT HOTEL IN LAS VEGAS!

Wines Du Jour has weathered the test of time with great panache and continues to offer a playful yet impactful weekly food and wine menu for its listeners and invited guests alike. We are offering fine choices of wines that are paired with quality food at each of the current weeks host upscale restaurant. Every week, for well over eleven years, Wines Du Jour has set the stage for a featured winery and three of their wines. Everyone will have an opportunity to taste and compare these wines in a somewhat informal setting.

This syndicated program will engage all of your senses while adding to your wine and even your food knowledge. The goal is always to offer a broadcast that will be informative to both the listener and the invited guests at the event including both the novice and wine expert. As an executive Chef, educator, Las Vegas wineau, cookbook author and Lifestyle expert, Les Kincaid shares recipes, offers resources and tips to help make your everyday enjoyment of food and wine a bit more delicious.

leskincaid.com


EARL JONES – FOUNDER, ABACELA - THIRD ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL ALBARINO DAY

International Albariño Day, inspired by the Albariño Wine Festival held in the small coastal town of Cambados, Spain during the first week of August, is a celebration of the Albariño grape.
Albariño is traditionally grown in Rias Baixas, a wine region in Galicia in northwestern Spain, and produces crisp, acidic white wines ideal for summer evenings and seafood pairings.  It is also grown in Portugal, where it is known as Alvarinho.  Now it is being grown in North America, so we’re celebrating with International Albariño Day.

ABOUT ABACELA:
Here, on sunny south sloping rocky hills, we passionately grow Tempranillo, Albariño, Syrah, Merlot, Dolcetto, Malbec, Grenache, and other varietals carefully matched to our unique microclimate.

The estate fruit is hand picked when optimally ripe and gently fermented and processed in a gravity flow winery to preserve quality. The crisp, fresh varietal character of our white wine is a product of our vineyard practices and minimal handling wine making philosophy. Application of these same principals to red wine production, with additional prolonged cellaring in small oak casks, further enhances flavor and stabilizes the wines.

Consequently our red wines are big and deeply-colored with intense aromas and flavors that have ample structure and tannin for aging. The final products are balanced wines with distinctive varietal character that pair exceptionally well with an assortment of delicious foods.

Our ultimate objective is to produce wines that are a statement of the harmony between the grape variety and its terroir. We appreciate your virtual visit to Abacela, but want to encourage you to tour our vineyards and winery and taste our wines to fully appreciate our passion.

WWW.TAPASOCIETY.ORG/ALBARINOFIESTA
ABACELA.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.