Pasadena magazine will present its 1st Annual Taste of Pasadena, a strolling culinary festival featuring unlimited tastings by some of the best restaurants from Pasadena, and around the San Gabriel Valley. The inaugural celebration will take place on Friday, October 6th at the Pasadena Convention Center 7:00 pm to 9:30 pm.
A wide array of culinary offerings include Arth Bar + Kitchen, Cabrera’s Mexican Cuisine, Celestino Ristorante, Champion’s Curry, Engine Co. No. 28, Farina Pizza, Five 55, Fogo De Chao, Granville, Great Maple, Mama M Sushi, Lunasia Modern Dim Sum & Cuisine, Kaviar, Pez Cantina, The Luggage Room Pizzeria & La Grande Orange, Osawa Shabu Shabu & Sushi, The Raymond 1886, Santa Anita Park, Twohey’s, with more expected to be announced later.
Desserts will be provided by Beard Papa’s Pasadena, Bertha Mae’s Brownie Co., Esther & Olivia BouqCakes, I Like Pike Bakeshop, Marsatta Chocolate, Ms. Rhonda’s Crack-N-Pop, and Nothing Bundt Cakes.
Wines will be poured by Adobe Road Winery (Sonoma County), Bernardus Winery (Carmel Valley), Bouchaine Vineyards (Carneros Napa Valley), Defiance Vineyard (Paso Robles), The Mill Keeper by Gamble Family Vineyards (Napa Valley), Tercero Wines (Santa Barbara), Vino Los Angeles (Mexico), Wilson Creek Winery & Vineyards (Temecula Valley), and more.
Spirits, Cocktails, Beer, Music, and Special Experiences courtesy of Acqua Panna, Cerveceria Del Pueblo, Balcones, Corbin Cash Distillery, Casa Azul Tequila, Dough Ball Whiskey, Frey Ranch Farmers + Distillers, Knox & Dobson, Mezcal 33, Old Hillside Bourbon, Rancho La Gloria Tequila, Shelter Distilling, and many more.
Partners and sponsors include AbilityFirst, Pasadena Convention Center, Visit Pasadena, Sodexo Live!, Pasadena Chamber of Commerce, Yelp, and Viva LA.
For more information and tickets, please visit Pasadenamag.com/taste.
California Spirit will return this year to Fox Studios Commissary Lawn, to bring L.A. foodies up close and personal with some the city’s top chefs for an evening of culinary arts, cocktails, and creativity celebrating the American Cancer Society’s progress in the fight against cancer.
Represented chefs include Nancy Silverton of Mozza, Suzanne Goin of A.O.C., Katianna Hong & John Hong of Yangban, Burt Bakman of Slab, Govind Armstrong of The Lobster, Jazz Singalong of Jitlada, Lien Ta & Jonathan Whitener of Here’s Looking At You, Jorge Alvarez of Tacos 1986, Mark Rosati of Shake Shack, Pawan, Nakul & Arjun Mahendro of Badmaash, Tyler Malek of Salt & Straw.
Pouring will be Peroni, Justin Wine, Eleven Eleven, Monkey Shoulder, Charles Krug, Ehlers Estate, Pasqua, J. Lohr, Ettole, Valdo, Milagro Tequila, Hendrick’s Gin, and Reyka vodka.
The event includes inspirational speakers, live and silent auctions, and will be hosted by Billy Harris. Flowers will be available for the event’s Garden of Hope ‘In Honor Of’ or ‘In Memory Of a loved one who has survived, is fighting or has lost the battle against cancer. The flowers with names of loved ones will be displayed in the Garden of Hope.
General Admission is at 4:00 p.m., with an early VIP Hour 3:00 p.m, and guests are encouraged to ‘Pink Out’ by wearing pink in support of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
All proceeds from California Spirit benefit the American Cancer Society’s mission to save and celebrate lives, and fight for a world without cancer. Co-Founded by Wolfgang Puck and Sherry Lansing in 1984, California Spirit has raised more than $18 million for the American Cancer Society. The American Cancer Society is the largest private funder of cancer research in the United States, with more than $5 billion invested in life-saving research for cancer prevention, detection and treatment.
Los Angeles Times’ Food Bowl, the annual celebration of Southern California’s food scene returns in September, along with its centerpiece Night Market at Paramount Pictures Studios Backlot. The three-day outdoor food and drink festival Sept. 22, 23 & 24 features unlimited tastings from more than 120 restaurants per session, live cooking demonstrations from world-renowned chefs and culinary personalities and DJs.
Three themed events include:
Fiesta Friday,” Sept. 22 at 8 p.m. The all-inclusive celebration of L.A.’s Latin American flavors will feature restaurants, cocktails and more from Mexico, the Caribbean and beyond, with cooking demonstrations from Bricia Lopez (Guelaguetza) and Danny Trejo (Trejo’s Tacos). VIP tickets are available for purchase and include early event entry, plus drive-on parking and access to an exclusive lounge. Participating restaurants include: A’s BBQ, Alfalfa, Anajak Thai, Awan, Bake Some Noise, Belles Beach House, Blue Plate Oysterette, Bridgetown Roti, Broad Street Oyster Co., By-You Dogg, Caviar Kaspia, Chichén Itzá, Coucou, Dino’s Famous Chicken, Dulanville Food Truck, East Side Cheesecakes, El Barrio Cantina, El Ruso, Evil Cooks, Farmhouse Kitchen, Fishing with Dynamite, Ggiata, Guelaguetza, Heavy Handed, Holbox, I Love Micheladas, Ilé Bistro, Kogi BBQ, L’Antica Pizzeria da Michele, LA Cha Cha Chá, La Sorted’s Pizza, Love Hour, Love.Life, Luv2eat Thai Bistro, Maple Block Chicken, Mini Kabob, Mírate, Moto Ramen, Nossa Caipirinha Bar, Paradise Dynasty, Park’s BBQ, Puesto, Ronan, Soulmate, Tacos 1986, Tallula’s, Villa’s Tacos and Wanderlust Creamery.
Saturday Night Flavor, Sept. 23 at 7 p.m. Spotlighting global cuisine that reflects quintessential L.A., Saturday will feature cooking demonstrations from Thitid “Ton” Tassanakajohn (Le Du, Bangkok), Justin Pichetrungsi (Anajak Thai), Ahmad Alzahabi (The Golden Balance), Nick DiGiovanni (YouTube, “MasterChef”) and Food Network’s Aarti Sequeira (“Unwind: A Devotional Cookbook for the Harried and Hungry). Participating restaurants include: 626 Hospitality Group, Amiga Amore, Awan, Bake Some Noise, Blue Plate Oysterette, Botanica, Broad Street Oyster Co., By-You Dogg, Cabra, Camphor, Caviar Kaspia, Chao Krung Thai & Tuk Tuk Thai, Chimmelier, Dino’s Famous Chicken, Dulanville Food Truck, East Side Cheesecakes, El Ruso, Evil Cooks, Farmhouse Kitchen, Genghis Cohen, Girl & the Goat, Hamasaku, Holbox, Holy Basil, Ilé Bistro, Intercrew LA, Kato, Kinn, L’Antica Pizzeria da Michele, Le Coupé, Loreto, Love.Life, Lunetta, Luv2eat Thai Bistro, n/soto, Open Market, Osteria Mamma, Paradise Dynasty, Poncho’s Tlayudas, Salt & Straw, Sichuan Impression, Stella, Stellar Pizza, STK Steakhouse, Sunday Gravy, Tacos 1986, The Brothers Sushi, Villa’s Tacos and Xuntos.
Backlot Brunch Sept. 24 at 12 pm Sunday’s brunch event will turn the backlot into an afternoon block party for all ages, featuring barbecue, burgers and cooking demonstrations from Tiffani Thiessen (“Here We Go Again: Recipes and Inspiration to Level Up Your Leftovers”), Timothy Hollingsworth (Otium) and Marcus Samuelsson (Red Rooster, Hav & Mar). Participating restaurants include: Alfalfa, Awan, Bake Some Noise, Bridgetown Roti, Brique French Toastery, Broad Street Oyster Co., By-You Dogg, Caviar Kaspia, De La Nonna, Di Di, Ditroit Taqueria, Dulanville Food Truck, El Ruso, Farmhouse Kitchen, Goodboybob Coffee Roasters, Guzzu Bento-ya, Happy Ice, Heritage Barbecue, Holey Grail Donuts, Ilé Bistro, Jitlada, L’Antica Pizzeria da Michele, La Sorted’s Pizza, Le Shrimp Noodle Bar, Love.Life, Mírate, Mo’s House of Axe, Moo’s Craft Barbecue, Mozza Restaurant Group, Ospi, Jame, Jemma, Jemma di Mare, Paderia Bakehouse, Paloma Venice, Pasjoli, Pop’s Bagels, Prime Pizza, Ray’s BBQ, Rocco’s Deli Italiano, Saltie Girl, Slab, Stellar Pizza, Tacos 1986, The Brothers Sushi, Tulsi Indian Eatery, Turok’s Cheesecake and West & Co.
The 7th Annual Festival Chapin will return to Lafayette Park in Los Angeles on Saturday August 26 & Sunday August 27. The free festival celebrates Guatemalan culture and its vibrant community via the country’s historic folklore, music, arts & crafts and gastronomy.
Chapín is a word that many Guatemalans use to describe their ethnicity with pride, and the history of the word dates back to the 15th century, when Chapines were a type of popular platform in Spain. The footwear f eventually disappeared but the name persists as an adjective for a person from Guatemala.
Metro Los Angeles is also home to several notable Guatemalans, including the prominent street artist Mauricio “Cache” Reyes, as well as a plethora of Guatemalan restaurants serving up delicious traditional dishes. Many of them will be represented at the Festival. Food available for purchase will including the rich, traditional foods of Guatemala like garnachas (similar to a Mexican ‘sope’), shucos (Guatemalan-style hot dogs), chicken pepian, enchiladas, and hilachas (stewed meat).
Footwear, pottery, jewelry, clothes, tablecloths, and traditional purses. A health fair will provide health information from L.A. Care, Dignity Health, Molina Healthcare, Party Time Pediatric Dentist, Smile California Medi-cal Dental insurance, Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, and Los Angeles County Office of Immigrant Affairs among others.
The Central American country of the Republic of Guatemala historically formed the core of the Maya civilization, one of the most highly developed societies in the history of the Americas and the world. After being subjugated by Spanish rule, Guatemala became an independent republic in 1821. A decades-long civil war that began in the 1950s provided the impetus for generations of Guatemalans to seek a better life abroad, often in states like Florida, Texas, and California.
Metro Los Angeles is home to one of the largest Guatemalan populations outside of Guatemala.
Communities with substantial numbers of Guatemalans include the cities of Los Angeles, Long Beach, Hawthorne, Palmdale, Inglewood, Paramount and the unincorporated communities of Lennox and Val Verde.
Chapin Summer Festival Inc. is a non-profit organization based in California that’s committed to promoting the art and culture of Guatemala abroad. Its mission is to offer resources to educational institutions in Guatemala that help to promote the education, health and well-being for children from less-advantaged homes in the country.
Walk With Sally hosted its annual fundraiser White Light White Night on August 19, 5:30 pm at Campus 2100 on 2100 E Grand Avenue, El Segundo.
Travis Van Winkle hosted the evening, introducing new CEO Tash Brooks. The Youth of the Year award was presented to Heather Jenkins, and the Mentor of the Year award to Jenn Nguyen.
Supported by over thirty five corporate sponsors, the event featured 17 restaurants serving their signature dishes and cocktails. They included Bettolino Kitchen, BOA, BuzzRock Brewing, Clarity Lounge, Eddie V’s, Hook & Plow, Japonica, Jimmy John’s, lil’Vegerie, Lobster & Beer: Coastal, Madison Brown, Nomad, Porterhouse Bourbon & Bones, Quality Seafood, ReadyFitGo, and Sushi Roku.
A live auction lead by seasoned auctioneer Letitia Frye and a silent auction featured high-end fine art, wine, sports memorabilia and travel items.
Live music was provided by local band Identity Theft, as well as the Chargers Marching Band. Muralist Miriam Hellmann provided vibrant backdrops.
The event was attended by over 700 attendees and over 100 volunteers were on hand for a night of unity and support. All dressed in white, the color universally associated with healing and referencing a person’s own divine nature to heal one’s self with this white light of healing and protection, as the community came together on a beautiful, uniquely memorable summer evening celebrating love, hope, and healing.
Many of the volunteers were cancer survivors out there in support. They included Kara, a survivor of two brain surgeries which took her sense of smell and removed memory on the right side of her body, making her unable to write. About a year after surgery she realized that she could use my left hand instead, though her mom was insists that Kara not give up her right hand, and continue to use it. Kara now wears a brain pendant, volunteers for cancer organizations, and helps them raise money.
Founded in 2004 by Nicolas Arquette, Walk With Sally’s mission supports children and families impacted by cancer providing them with care-centered one-to-one fellowships along with critical programs and services that include mentoring, mental health support, art healing, and financial empowerment.
Owl’s Brew, a pioneer in better-for-you alcoholic beverages is expanding into the spirit based cocktail sector with four new flavors and two new packs. The new line expands the brand’s offeringsof boozy beverages using fresh-brewed tea, botanicals, fruit juice, and 1.5oz of real spirits.
The new line of flavors includes a Skinny Hibiscus Lime Margarita with Tequila Tromba Blanco for which co-founders Jennie and Maria worked closely with Jeannie Mai Jenkins, an Emmy Award winning producer and host of America’s Test Kitchen.
Made with fresh-brewed organic tea, combined with flavors of hibiscus, black tea, lime, and strawberry juice, the Skinny Hibiscus Margarita adds Tromba Tequila Blanco (5% Alc/Vol) for a refreshing sipper for any occasion. The award winning Blanco is a 100% agave tequila by Master Distiller Marco Cedano from Jalisco.
The Boozy Tea Cocktails also includes three flavors of Real Tea and Vodka (5% Alc/Vol) – Green Tea & Passionfruit, Blackberry Half & Half, and Black Tea & Pomegranate, all made from fresh-brewed tea, with a splash of juice and 1.5oz of real vodka.
Available in an 8pk variety pack, the new line can be found at retailers like Trader Joes, Erewhon, Whole Foods, Aldi, and Total Wine & Mo`re and online at www.theowlsbrew.com/buy-now.
Co-founded by Jennie Ripps, a certified Tea Sommelier and with Maria Littlefieldsought in 2020, Owl’s Brew has won over 17 tasting awards for its flavors. It has expanded to 18 states experiencing over 918% growth between ’20 & ’21.
The co-founders are also the creators of Wise Women Collective, a women-for-women initiative that partners with Keep-A-Breast, Women’s Voices for the Earth, and has a monthly #BoozyBookClub.
For more information, visit www.theowlsbrew.com or follow along @theowlsbrew. #DrinkWise
Concern Foundation will host its 48th Annual Block Party themed ‘The land before time: the extinction of cancer’ Saturday July 8 on the back lot of Paramount Studios in Hollywood. The event is expected to draw 4,000 guests to raise $2 million dollars for cancer research.
The evening will honor the Kallick Family with the Lifetime of Giving Award and salute Cedars Sinai Cancer for its groundbreaking work on cancer.
Food and beverage stalls lining the famous studio streets include long standing Block Party mainstays like Vibrato Grill Jazz, The Grill on the Alley, Factor’s Famous Deli, A.O.C., Fogo de Chao, Someone’s In The Kitchen, Dulan’s Soul Food, Nobu Malibu, STK, Porta Via, Maria’s Italian Kitchen, H & H Brazilian Steakhouse, Milagro Tequila, Deutsch Family, and Pink’s Famous Hot Dogs. Newcomers include Calajo Catering, Brique LA, The Breakfast Club, The Hideaway, Leona’s Sushi House, The Village and Firefly.
Musical and interactive entertainment on multiple stages include the Tom Nolan Band on the main stage, D’ City Sound & Events on the Yabba Dabba DJ Stage presented by the Hirsch Family Foundation and the Vibrato “Grotto” Grill Jazz stage.
Scattered over the venue, will be photo studios, lounges, casino style gaming, and beauty services by the Beauty Bus Foundation.
Online silent and live auctions sponsored by Zacuto Group will feature items, packages and unique experiences that include concert and event tickets, restaurants, staycations, and golf packages.
A staple for the last 17 years, The Best of LA 2023 on Los Angeles magazine’s street will feature lounges, photo booths, food stations, and DJ dancing.
Southern California is home to ocean treasures that rival those anywhere in the world, and the Aquarium Of the Pacific in Long Beach is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year with a new Southern California Gallery to be completed later this year.
The Southern California Gallery will feature over ten exhibits and more than three dozen species. It will showcase underwater habitats like towering kelp forests, colorful hydrocorals, swaying seagrass, and artificial and rocky reefs and abundance of sea life a like the California two-spot octopus, sharks, scorpionfish, eels and pipefish.
In related programming, visitors can take in a new short film projected in the Aquarium’s Great Hall next to a life-sized model of a blue whale throughout the anniversary year. The film highlights the Aquarium’s work in saving local species and habitats.
The Aquarium’s second floor will showcase the work of the top ten winners of the Aquarium’s 25th Anniversary photo contest celebrating people’s connections to nature. The first guest daily to find an octopus figurine hidden in a different exhibit will win a limited-edition commemorative pin.
During the summer, the Aquarium’s First Wednesdays guest speaker series will focus on the theme of connecting to nature and include music and a cocktail/social hour.
Finally, the Aquarium will launch its new podcast series and carry new commemorative anniversary merchandise in its gift store.
For more information and tickets, please visit https://www.aquariumofpacific.org
