WINE

When two renowned chefs from Monterey came down to Los Angeles and partnered with Neal Fraser at Redbird to create a pop-up menu using fresh Monterey ingredients and paired with the wines of Monterey, this taste of Monterey definitely whet my appetite. Chefs John Cox, Neal Fraser and Tim Walter Chef John Cox is the Executive Chef at Sierra Mar at Post Ranch Inn, one of the most celebrated restaurants and retreats in the world. Chef Ted Walter is a Classic French-trained chef who opened Pacific Grove’s Passionfish with his wife Cindy in 1997. He sources ingredients from Carmel Valley farms, local markets and the fishers of Monterey Bay and has earned a national reputation as an advocate for the Sustainable Seafood movement. Chef Neal Fraser, along with his wife and business partner, Amy Knoll Fraser, opened Redbird in one of the city’s most historic architectural gems, inside the former rectory building of Vibiana – the cathedral-turned-event-venue.
11 November, 2015
Korean BBQ has come to the westside! Located in Culver City, on Main Street next to The Wallace, Hanjip Korean BBQ is the result of partners Stephane Bombet (Terrine, Viviane) and Francois Renaud (Terrine) and Chef Chris Oh (Seoul Sausage). Hanjip Inside, the decor is modern and eye catching. The walls, as well as the ventilation systems above each table, are covered with black and white geometric lines. Hanjip Interior Korean BBQ is meant to be shared with friends. While you can sit at a table for two or four people, the booths and round tables in the center are better for parties of six. With the amount of food you will probably eat, the bigger the group, the better! As soon as we sat, we were served an array of banchan. Fish cakes, kim chi, potato salad, spicy cucumber and bean sprouts are some of the banchan. The standout was the crispy octopus banchan.
09 November, 2015
The newest restaurant addition to Beverly Hills is Viviane Restaurant, located in the Avalon Hotel on Olympic Boulevard at Beverly Drive. Viviane The Avalon Hotel looks like a stylishly converted motel with all of the rooms overlooking the pool in the center. The decor of the hotel is mid-century with subtle colors and furniture with a 1950s and 1960s aesthetic. The bright blue from the pool is what glows throughout the space, whether you sit inside or outside. But, I suggest getting a seat outside by the pool. Whether at a table, or in a colorful cabana, it is peaceful, not too loud and, as it is Los Angeles, perfect to take advantage of being able to eat outside year round. Viviane Viviane Restaurant is by restaurateur Stephane Bombet of Bombet Hospitality Group and Executive Chef Michael Hung, formerly of Faith and Flower in downtown LA. No more fighting the traffic to get to downtown LA to taste the food of Chef Hung!
06 November, 2015

The Wine Bible is the essential wine guide for any wine enthusiast. Whether you are just getting started in wine or have been studying for years, The Wine Bible is the comprehensive guide to the wine regions of the world. Well, that's how it was when written fourteen years ago by Karen MacNeil. But much has changed in the fourteen years since it was first published.

The Wine Bible First Edition Now, fourteen years later, The Wine Bible has been updated with a Second Edition. It took MacNeil ten years to write the first edition and five years to research and write the second one and now it is available for all to read. The Wine Bible Second Edition
04 November, 2015
This story originally appeared in the Napa Valley Register (October 23, 2015) Tara Gomez fell in love with the aromas of wine the first time she stepped into a winery as a child. Tara Gomez Growing up in the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians, Gomez was raised in the heart of wine country. With a scholarship from her tribe, she studied enology at California State University, Fresno and was one of two women who graduated in 1998. She went to work as an enologist at Fess Parker Winery before moving to Paso Robles to be the enologist and lab manager at J. Lohr Vineyards and Wines for nine years. She then moved to Spain for two years where she learned traditional styles and studied winemaking in the Pyrenees.
28 October, 2015
You go to the market to shop and plan a meal. Or maybe you are feeling lazy and pick up a prepared meal. But, ever thought about getting full service dining at the market? Well, at some Whole Foods stores in California, you can do this, as I recently did at Whole Food Venice. Whole Foods Venice (1) Whole Food Venice hosts pop-up wine pairing dinners twice a month. For $30 per person (or 2 for $50), you can get a four course meal, paired with wines. The Venice store has been offering wine (and beer) pairing dinners in their wine bar for three years. Each dinner has a theme, such as sustainability or Icelandic fish and beers, or features a winery. Whole Foods Venice
26 October, 2015

What are thoughts conjured up when one thinks of Lodi -- hot climate, high-alcohol wines, mass production and large brands? Yes, these descriptors can be used,...

23 October, 2015
This article originally appeared in the Napa Valley Register (October 9, 2015). Ask any winemaker and they will tell you that wine is made in the vineyard. It is not possible to make good wine from bad grapes. And, vineyards are not stagnant, offering variety. So, whether you own a vineyard or purchase fruit from a grower, winemakers are very careful in selecting their vineyards. Case in point, Larner Vineyard, situated in Ballard Canyon in Santa Ynez. Larner Vineyard, Ballard Canyon Ballard Canyon is located between Santa Ynez Mountains, a transverse mountain range, to the south and the San Rafael Mountains, created by the San Andreas Fault, to the north. Ballard Canyon is in the heart of the Santa Ynez Valley and is the home to 17 vineyards and six producers. The Pacific Ocean is 17 miles to the west and fog comes in and burns off by 11:30 a.m. By 12:30 p.m. there is a cool breeze from the Pacific Ocean. Specializing in Rhone varietals, Ballard Canyon became an AVA in October 2013. Of the 600 acres planted, 300 of the acres are planted to Syrah. Larner Vineyard was planted in 1999 by founding family members Stevan, Christine, Monica and Michael Larner. Sitting at an elevation of 500-680 feet above sea level, the property is a total of 134 acres with 34 acres planted and 30-40 acres still to plant. The varietals planted are Syrah (23 acres), grenache (6 acres), viognier (2.5 acres), mourvedre (2 acres) and malvasia bianca (1.4 acres). The Larner Vineyard has transitioned from sustainable to organic and is in the process of being certified.
19 October, 2015
Walking into the restaurant Hand + Foot, you might think that you were in any major city, not in the small town of upstate New York. But, it is in the charming town of Corning, population 11,000. Exposed brick walls, low lighting, a long bar filled with small craft brands and a communal table in the center of the room, this restaurant could be in Manhattan, Brooklyn, San Francisco, Los Angeles. Hand and Foot Hand and Foot Hand and Foot Owners Dan and Laurie Morton worked in bars in Orlando and New York City before moving back home to Corning. They took over an Irish bar that was covered in sheet rock and housed a golf simulator to create the warm and inviting Hand + Foot. My first thought when I heard about the restaurant was that they were on trend with the nose to tail movement, featuring whole animal cuisine. After all, what else would hand and foot mean? Well, actually it refers to a card game, similar to canasta, that Dan's family has been playing for generations. 
12 October, 2015
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