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AOC Brentwood Presents La Festa Della Donna March 11 with Italian Winemakers Mariarita Grasso, Alice Bonaccorsi & Restaurateur/Author Shelley Lindgren

By Susan Schuler — 10 months ago

AOC Brentwood Presents La Festa Della Donna with Italian Winemakers Mariarita Grasso, Alice Bonaccorsi & Restaurateur/Author Shelley Lindgren on 3/11

La Festa della Donna is coming to Brentwood!

Caroline Styne and Suzanne Goin have invited Italian Winemakers Mariarita Grasso, Alice Bonaccorsi and Restaurateur/Author Shelley Lindgren to celebrate the Italian Festival of Women benefitting Regarding Her on Monday, March 11.

AOC Brentwood Presents La Festa Della Donna March 11 with Italian Winemakers Mariarita Grasso, Alice Bonaccorsi & Restaurateur/Author Shelley Lindgren

Join these five talented women and enjoy Suzanne’s Italian-style specials and flights by the winemakers curated by Caroline Styne.

In celebration of the Italian Festival of Women in March, Restaurateur Caroline Styne and Chef Suzanne Goin present La Festa della Donna on Monday, March 11, 2024, at AOC in Brentwood.

Join these five talented women and enjoy Italian-style specials

Caroline has invited her special guests Mariarita Grasso of Azienda Agricola Filippo Grasso and Alice Bonaccorsi of Azienda Agricola Alice Bonaccorsi, Italy. Also in attendance is favorite Italian wine advocate Shelley Lindgren, owner and wine director of A16 Restaurant (in San Francisco and Oakland) and author of her latest book, “Italian Wine: The History, Regions, and Grapes of an Iconic Wine Country.”

The Festa della Donna is an Italian tradition observed yearly on March 8, coinciding with International Women’s Day.

It serves as a tribute to the remarkable contributions of women in social, economic, cultural, and political spheres. Central to the celebration is the custom of presenting women with yellow mimosa flowers, revered as emblems of resilience, beauty, and elegance. Festivities encompass various activities, including gatherings to honor women’s accomplishments and advocate for their continued pursuit of equality and recognition. The Mimosa flower has symbolized the Festa della Donna in Italy since the 1940s, symbolizing affection and appreciation when gifted to women.

Caroline is curating flights of wine from these two Sicilian winemakers as well as Lindgren’s own Tansey Wines, and Suzanne is creating specials to complement them. 10% of wine flights and menu special sales will benefit Regarding Her programs. All five women will be present to meet guests. Local bookseller Now Serving will be on hand with copies of Shelley’s book, and A.O.C. will offer a selection of the featured wines for retail purchase.

Reservations may be made on OpenTable Experience.

Suzanne’s menu of specials inspired by Shelly Lindgren and Nate Appleman’s A16 Cookbook is listed below; select photos of the winemakers and vineyards HERE; photos courtesy of A.O.C.

La Festa della Donna

menu of specials inspired by

Shelley Lindgren and Nate Appleman’s A16 COOKBOOK

Monday, March 11, 2024

A16 ANTIPASTO: liver terrina with marinated olives, giardiniera,

crostini, and assorted cured meats $26

roasted asparagus with walnut cream and pecorino tartufo $24

paccheri with fresh sardines, olives, capers, and breadcrumbs $27

braised halibut with pistachios, preserved meyer lemon, and capers $32

pork loin spiedino with pine nut, garlic, and currant soffritto $28

short ribs alla Genovese MP

potato torta with mozzarella, prosciutto, and pecorino $18

walnut and chocolate semifreddo with chestnut shortbread $18

WHEN:

Monday, March 11, 2024

5:00 – 10:00 p.m.

Reservations via OpenTable Experience

WHERE:

A.O.C. in Brentwood

11648 San Vicente Boulevard

Los Angeles, CA 90049\

310.806.6464

ABOUT AZIENDA AGRICOLA FILIPPO GRASSO:

Azienda Agricola Filippo Grasso is a fourth-generation family-owned winery nestled on the north side of Mount Etna in Sicily. Since 2006, they’ve been crafting their own wines. Situated in Contrada Calderada, their vineyards thrive on soils rich in large volcanic rocks, capturing and retaining the sun’s warmth, shielding the vines from chilly mountain nights. With six hectares devoted to native Etna grapes like Carricante, Catarratto, Minella, Nerello Mascalese, and Nerello Mantellato (also known as Cappuccio), Filippo Grasso embodies a deep commitment to the region’s grapes, aiming to faithfully translate Etna’s terroir into every bottle. Their unoaked wines reflect the purity of these indigenous varieties. Beyond vineyards, the estate cultivates olive oil from 100 century-old trees and boasts diverse flora, fostering biodiversity for healthier vines. While not certified organic, the winery operates daily with reverence for nature. As they refine their craft, the Grasso family eagerly anticipates sharing their Etna wines with a broader audience.

ABOUT AZIENDA AGRICOLA ALICE BONACCORSI:

The story of Bonaccorsi Winery begins in Valcerasa, the Cherry Valley, where Alice’s father’s vineyard was situated on Mount Etna’s eastern slope, yielding their flagship wine, Valcerasa. Today, they operate in Randazzo, on the mountain’s northern side, having relocated to Croce Monaci in 2000, where they’ve expanded their land from 3 to around 18 hectares over two decades. Committed to organic practices, Bonaccorsi is ICEA certified, prioritizing biodiversity, maintaining natural vegetation, and preserving fruit trees for ecological balance. Their vineyards boast 80-year-old plants, cared for using copper-based sulfur, ensuring grapes are free from chemical residues and rich in natural yeasts vital to winemaking. In the cellar, they embrace a natural approach, eschewing chemical additives. The infusion of fresh, innovative ideas from their daughters is pivotal, invigorating Bonaccorsi with new energy while preserving its distinctive coherence.

ABOUT SHELLY LINDGREN:

Shelley Lindgren is the wine director and owner of San Francisco’s Italian restaurant A16, which has locations in Oakland, California and Tokyo, Japan. In February 2024, she opened La Pala – serving pizza al taglio and panini from San Francisco’s Ferry Building. She has received the James Beard Award for Outstanding Wine Program; has received the 2023 Slow Wine Fair Award for Best Selection of Good, Clean, and Fair Italian Wine; and has been knighted by the Italian government, receiving the prestigious “Cavaliere dell’Ordine Della Stella Italia” (Dott.ssa) distinction for her professional dedication to Italian wine. Shelley’s third book, Italian Wine – The history, regions and grapes of an iconic wine country was recently released and available internationally. Shelley’s work has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, Food & Wine, Punch, San Francisco Chronicle, and many other publications. Shelley started a winery called Tansy Wines in 2021 with Kitty Oestlien – inspired by Italian varietals of Northern California as well as Pinot Noir and an upcoming Cabernet Sauvignon all from organically grown, single vineyards. She served on the board of La Cocina, the Guild of Sommeliers, and Slide Ranch and is a member of Les Dames d’ Escoffier. She lives in San Francisco with her husband and two sons.

ABOUT THE LUCQUES GROUP:

With the opening of Lucques, their flagship restaurant, in 1998, James Beard Foundation award-winning Chef/Author Suzanne Goin and award-winning Restaurateur Caroline Styne planted the seeds for The Lucques Group, a Los Angeles hospitality company that comprises two fine dining restaurants – A.O.C. in both Los Angeles and Brentwood. Along with these culinary enterprises, the company also owns the Larder Baking Company and oversees Hollywood Bowl Food + Wine, which curates all the food and beverage outlets at L.A.’s iconic music venue. The duo also operates two new restaurants – Caldo Verde and Cara Cara, and the new Dahlia cocktail bar at the Downtown L.A. Proper Hotel. The Lucques Group is dedicated to seasonally influenced cooking and focuses on sourcing local, organic produce from which Goin creates soulful dishes that are bold in flavor, vibrant, layered and complex.

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Los Angeles’ A.O.C. Welcomes Celebrated Guest Sommelier Bobby Stuckey MS Feb 28

By Kelsey Ridley — 10 months ago

Los Angeles’ A.O.C. Welcomes Celebrated Guest Sommelier Bobby Stuckey MS Feb 28

Caroline Styne and Suzanne Goin welcome the co-owner of Frasca Food & Wine and Scarpetta Wines to A.O.C. on 3rd Street for an evening showcasing his boutique wines.

Caroline Styne and Chef Suzanne Goin will host a special evening at A.O.C. on Wednesday, February 28, 2024, featuring James Beard Foundation award-winner Bobby Stuckey of Boulder’s Frasca Food & Wine and Scarpetta Wines.

Bobby will serve as Guest Sommelier, showcasing the imported wines of Murva and his own Scarpetta Wines.

Caroline Styne has curated wine flights to be enjoyed during dinner, and guests can also choose from featured bottles from Murva or the Scarpetta wine library.

Additionally, A.O.C. will offer a selection of Italian cheeses for wine pairings. The menu will be à la carte, and reservations for the event are encouraged.

“I am beyond excited to have my idol,

Bobby Stuckey, working the floor with us at A.O.C.”

Caroline Styne

“His charisma and dedication to outstanding hospitality are inspirational.”

This evening presents a rare opportunity to meet Bobby Stuckey, a highly talented and charismatic figure in the hospitality industry.

WHEN:

Wednesday, February 28, 2024

5:30 – 10:00 p.m.

WHERE: A.O.C., 8700 W. 3rd Street Los Angeles, California 90049

Phone: 310.859.9859

Bobby Stuckey began his distinguished career in restaurants in his home state of Arizona, working his way from dishwasher to management, establishing his position as one of the leaders in the hospitality industry.

He joined the staff of The Little Nell restaurant in Aspen as a sommelier in 1995. During his five-year tenure, The Little Nell received numerous awards for wine and service, including Gourmet’s “Best Wine Service” Award; Mobile Travel Guide’s Five Star Hotel and Restaurant Rating; Wine Spectator’s Grand Award; and a nomination from the James Beard Foundation for Outstanding Wine Service.

In 2000, Stuckey moved west to work with world-renowned chef Thomas Keller at The French Laundry in Yountville, California.

Within his first year, Stuckey led the acclaimed restaurant’s team to earn the James Beard Foundation’s Outstanding Wine Service award and San Francisco Magazine recognized him as “Wine Director of the Year.”

The French Laundry received the James Beard Foundation Award for Outstanding Restaurant Service in 2003. It was during his tenure at The French Laundry where Bobby met his future business partner, chef Lachlan Mackinnon-Patterson.

With the vision of opening a neighborhood restaurant reminiscent of the Italian frascas they had visited in Italy’s Friuli-Venezia Giulia region, Stuckey and Mackinnon Patterson opened their first restaurant, Frasca Food and Wine, in August 2004, in Boulder, Colorado. Having researched and traveled throughout Italy many times, both were deeply inspired by this region in particular — the international influences of its cuisine, the profusion of local ingredients in its rustic yet elegant dishes, its passionate relationship between food and wine, and the gracious hospitality of the locals. Receiving his Master Sommelier Diploma in 2004, Stuckey has been bestowed with some of the restaurant and wine industrys’ highest honors such as James Beard Foundation nominations for Outstanding Wine and Spirits Professional, Outstanding Wine Service, and won the prestigious award for Outstanding Wine Service in 2013.

In 2007, Stuckey and Mackinnon-Patterson launched Scarpetta Wines to produce Friulian white wines. They now produce over eight varietals. In January 2011, Stuckey and Mackinnon-Patterson opened Pizzeria Locale Boulder, a full-service, contemporary pizzeria inspired by the traditional pizzerias of Naples, Italy located adjacent to sister restaurant Frasca with a similar attention to hospitality in a contemporary, laid back, interactive atmosphere. The partners also own and operate fast-fine versions of Pizzeria Locale Denver, with four locations in the Denver Metro area.

In the fall of 2017, Stuckey and Mackinnon-Patterson, along with partners Peter Hoglund, and Continuum Partners’ Mark Falcone, opened Tavernetta in Denver’s Union Station neighborhood. Located directly off the Union Station train platform, Tavernetta is inspired by Italy’s vast culinary traditions, with a menu that celebrates authentic regional classics from across the entire country in an approachable and welcoming environment. In December 2019, they opened Sunday Vinyl, a European-inspired wine bar & restaurant dedicated to providing the highest quality analog listening experience, adjacent to Tavernetta in downtown Denver.

Frasca Food and Wine celebrated 15 years in 2019 and the same year, under Bobby’s direction, the restaurant won the 2019 James Beard Foundation Award for Outstanding Service (changed to Outstanding Hospitality for the 2020 Awards thanks to Bobby’s recommendation).

ABOUT SCARPETTA WINES:

Scarpetta — The drivers of Scarpetta Wine are Bobby Stuckey M.S. and Lachlan Patterson former chef de partie at The French Laundry. They conspired to open a restaurant in Boulder, Colorado and thanks to a fateful trip to the Alpine region of Italy they had their inspiration… the cuisine and culture of Friuli. Always digging deeper for Friulian inspiration, Bobby and Lachlan travel to the region several times a year, even taking their entire staff along for a week of eating, wine tasting and general Friuli-worship every summer. It was only natural that when Bobby and Lachlan dreamt about starting their own wine label they looked first to the beautiful whites of Friuli, and Scarpetta was born. Murva – Moraro and Mariano del Friuli, Isonzo – The wines produced by Alberto Pelos at Murva are pure and vibrant. Alberto, who spent many years as winemaker at Vie di Romans, describes the vineyard soils that comprise Murva’s vineyards as dolomitic, with small pebbles rich in iron and aluminum, and a high sand and clay content (feretto). He farms 4 hectares of vineyards that he owns, and 1 hectare that he farms in the center of town which is part of a community outreach program to support troubled youth. The Murva wines have distinct salinity and energy that are not to be missed by any lover of Northern Italian whites.

ABOUT THE LUCQUES GROUP:

With the opening of Lucques, their flagship restaurant, in 1998, James Beard Foundation award-winning Chef/Author Suzanne Goinand award-winning Restaurateur Caroline Styne planted the seeds for The Lucques Group, a Los Angeles hospitality company that comprises two fine dining restaurants – A.O.C. in both Los Angeles and Brentwood. Along with these culinary enterprises, the company also owns the Larder Baking Company and oversees Hollywood Bowl Food + Wine, which curates all the food and beverage outlets at L.A.’s iconic music venue. The duo also operates two new restaurants – Caldo Verde and Cara Cara, and the new Dahlia cocktail bar at the Downtown L.A. Proper Hotel. The Lucques Group is dedicated to seasonally influenced cooking and focuses on sourcing local, organic produce from which Goin creates soulful dishes that are bold in flavor, vibrant, layered and complex.

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Pasadena’s Newest: Pez Coastal Kitchen Brings Incredible Taste and Romance with Upscale sea and farm-to-table, seasonal California cuisine

By Joe Winger — 10 months ago

Pasadena Newest Pez Coastal Kitchen brings Taste and Romance with upscale sea and farm-to-table, seasonal California cuisine

Executive Chef & Proprietor Bret Thompson and Lucy Thompson-Ramirez proudly announce the official Grand Opening of Pez Coastal Kitchen, their new upscale seafood focused eatery in Pasadena on Thursday, February 15th, 2024!

Grand Opening of Pez Coastal Kitchen Thursday, February 15th

Executive Chef Proprietor Bret Thompson and Lucy Thompson-Ramirez proudly announce the official Grand Opening of Pez Coastal Kitchen // Photo Credit: Jakob N. Layman

Located on the corner of Union Street and North Raymond Avenue, Pasadena’s hottest culinary spot, Pez Coastal Kitchen promises a lively and innovative dining experience with a focus on sea and farm-to-table, seasonal California cuisine.

Pez Coastal Kitchen’s Oysters on the Half Shell // Photo Credit: Jakob N. Layman

Executive Chef Bret Thompson and Lucy Thompson-Ramirez are a dynamic husband and wife team that have made a significant impact in the hospitality industry. With their passion for culinary excellence and warm hospitality, they have created a signature name for themselves in the Los Angeles dining scene and beyond and they are now joined at Pez Coastal Kitchen in Pasadena with their magnetic team of top industry professionals Director of Operations Chris Mesa, Chef Joe Gillard, General Manager Brittany Player, and Bar Manager Mike Dane.

Pez Coastal Kitchen’s Bar // Photo Credit: Jakob N. Layman

Chef Bret Thompson’s culinary journey began at the renowned California Culinary Academy in San Francisco where he then honed his skills at esteemed establishments such as Aqua in San Francisco, Roy’s in Hawaii, and Pinot Blanc in St. Helena, California.

Seeking international inspiration, Bret traveled to Spain to study under Chef Martin Berasategui at Restaurante Martin Berasategui, a Michelin 2-star establishment in Lasarte, Spain.

He further expanded his culinary repertoire in Lebanon at Atlas Café, then studied under Chef Bernard Loiseau at La Cote d’Or his Michelin 3-star restaurant in Saulieu, France, and then L’Arpege, Chef Alain Passard’s Michelin 3-star restaurant in Paris.

Throughout his career, Bret also had an extensive tenure with The Patina Group, working at multiple restaurants, running catering operations and ultimately becoming the Corporate Executive Chef overseeing all restaurant operations for the entire group.

Pez Coastal Kitchen’s Dining Room // Photo Credit: Jakob N. Layman

In 2007 to 2022, Chef Bret Thompson and Lucy Thompson-Ramirez owned Milk Ice Cream, and in 2015 they decided to embark on a new culinary adventure together as the proud owners of Pez Cantina, their seasonal, modern, coastal-inspired Mexican restaurant and bar, located in downtown Los Angeles which quickly became a beloved dining destination and in October 2021, they expanded with a new location in Montebello, California, LA Burrito Co.

Thompson and Thompson-Ramirez’s newest venture will continue their commitment to sea-to-table and farm-to-table cuisine, but as Chef Joe Gillard joins Executive Chef Bret Thompson in the kitchen, the focus at Pez Coastal Kitchen will be on innovative techniques such as curing, smoking, and the specialized dry-aging of seafood which will be a distinctive feature.

Pez Coastal Kitchen, Rosemary Paloma // Photo Credit: Jakob N. Layman

This new concept will focus on seafood, but will also extend beyond, encompassing meat, poultry, and a unique emphasis on the curing and smoking of meats and seafood, known as Sea-cuterie.

Executive Chef Bret Thompson is excited to go back to his European roots.

“I’m excited to serve seasonal cuisine with a big seafood nuance.”

Executive Chef Bret Thompson

“We will be showcasing shellfish towers like you might see in the streets of Paris at the brasseries. We’ll also be doing whole fish fries, and we have a massive open ice area where guests can see all the fresh seafood, we will be serving each night including whole fish, shrimp, oysters, sea urchin, and whatever is in season.”

Pez Coastal Kitchen, Seafood Tower // Photo Credit: Jakob N. Layman

The Pez Coastal Kitchen Menu starts off with Appetizers which include Chilled Beets with hazelnuts, burrata, winter greens and a hibiscus vinaigrette, the Pez Caesar prepared with gem lettuce, black kale, pepitas, colossal nori crisp, and white anchovies, Black Mussels a la Bouillabaisse with smoked pepper rouille and sesame griddle cake, and Crispy Sweetbreads Fritto Misto with a black lime aioli.

The Chilled Seafood and Crudos decadently spotlight Pez Coastal Kitchen’s seafood at its finest starting with a Chilled Seafood Tower for Two showcasing a ½ lobster, six jumbo shrimp, twelve oysters, four crab claws, and two scallop aguachile shooters, with a selection of sauces – black garlic aioli, mignonette, and salsa macha, Daily Oysters on the Half Shell, Dry-Aged Kingfish Crudo, Hokkaido Scallop Tartare, and Steelhead Trout Rillette served with American sturgeon caviar, forbidden rice cake, and pickled shallots.

Pez Coastal Kitchen, Spaghetti alla Chitarra // Photo Credit: Jakob N. Layman

Pez Coastal Kitchen Entrees

The Entrees are recommended to be enjoyed family-style featuring Whole Fried Fish, Alaskan Halibut, Seared Jumbo Scallops served with a smoked ham-celery fritter and truffled apple salad, Smoked Baby Back Ribs, Prime Center Cut Filet of Ribeye with a green peppercorn demi and Pez fries, Spaghetti alla Chitarra with Manila clams, mussels, and uni nage, and Crispy Half-Chicken with chicken “lule”, petite roasted carrots and radish, apricot, sage, and carrot demi.

Pez Coastal Kitchen Veggies and Sides

And finally, a selection of exceptional Veggies and Sides – Potato Gratin with bacon, gruyere, and cippolini onions, Yam Skins with green tahini, whipped feta and Marcona almonds, Hickory Smoked Cauliflower Steak with a spicy kumquat glaze, and shallot yogurt, and Brussels Sprouts with Red Boat caramel, seed crunch, and black garlic vinegar.

Pez Coastal Kitchen, Citrus Olive Oil Cake // Photo Credit: Jakob N. Layman

Dessert

Dessert is equally exciting with innovative delights such as Warm Chocolate Butterscotch Peanut Butter Cake with honeycomb ice cream, Citrus Olive Oil Cake served with mascarpone pistachio cream, limoncello granité, and strawberry, Mint Chip Ice Cream Brownie Sundae with Chocolate Strings, and Chai Spice Poached Pear with hazelnut crunch, tart yogurt, and blackberry compote.

Pez Coastal Kitchen, Mint Chip Ice Cream Brownie Sundae // Photo Credit: Jakob N. Layman

Bar

Complementing the mouthwatering menu is the well-stocked Pez Coastal Kitchen Bar, a long contemporary bar with a stunning emerald marble bar top, high ceiling, and magnificent fans making it a haven for cocktail enthusiasts and diners alike.

Pez Coastal Kitchen, Matcha Sour // Photo Credit: Jakob N. Layman

Bar Manager Mike Dane has curated an exceptional cocktail program, featuring the Rosemary Paloma, Matcha Sour, Chartreuse Colada, and the signature Happy Wife, Happy Life comprised of Redemption High-Rye bourbon and Liquid Alchemist Apple Spice with a sugared apple crisp, along with an extensive selection of Premier Spirits, Wines, and Beers

Pez Coastal Kitchen, Lounge, Bar // Photo Credit: Jakob N. Layman

Pez Coastal Kitchen sits in a historical building that was built in 1896 and was completely transformed and redesigned by Margee Drews Design to exude a California-Mediterranean coastal feel across multiple spaces.

Guests enter a beautiful light and airy dining room with a stunning feature wall, large plush booths and banquettes with sleek wood tables surrounded by plush greenery, warm and welcoming lounge separated from the dining room by grand Mediterranean arches with high industrial ceilings and romantic Havana-style fans, a prominently placed cocktail bar and open kitchen.

drinks with friends, intimate dinners, group gatherings, or special events

Whether for drinks with friends, intimate dinners, group gatherings, or special events, Pez Coastal Kitchen promises an exceptional experience for all who walk through its doors!

As Co-Owners Executive Chef Bret Thompson and Lucy Thompson-Ramirez continue to innovate and reinvent themselves, and Pez Coastal Kitchen in Pasadena promises a unique blend of California coastal cuisine, thoughtfully crafted cocktails, specially curated wines, and their dedication to excellence ensures an unforgettable dining experience that celebrates vibrant flavors and genuine hospitality.

The Pez Coastal Kitchen official Grand Opening is Thursday, February 15^th, 2024.

Pez Coastal Kitchen will be open for Dinnerevery Wednesday, Thursday, and Sunday from 5:00 pm to 10:00 pm, and every Friday and Saturday from 5:00 pm to 11:00 pm.

For more information about Pez Coastal Kitchen or to make reservations, please call 626.210.0775 directly or visit www.PezPasadena.com.

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Boozy, Creamy, Yummy Comes to LA and Hawaii! First-Ever Proof Hard Ice Cream Launches Chocolate Espresso Martini

By Kelsey Ridley — 10 months ago

Boozy, Creamy, Yummy Comes to LA and Hawaii! ! First-Ever Proof hard ice cream Launches Chocolate Espresso Martini

Costco members in Southern California and Honolulu will soon be treated to super premium ice cream creations inspired by sophisticated classic cocktails when PROOF Ice Cream introduces its new Chocolate Espresso Martini flavored hard ice cream in select warehouse locations beginning Feb. 9, just in time for the big game and Valentine’s Day.

PROOF Ice Cream will be available in Costco warehouse locations in Cypress, Hawthorne, Huntington Beach, Marina Del Rey, San Juan Capistrano, San Luis Obispo, Torrance, Fontana and Victorville, Calif., and in Iwilei, Honolulu. The Costco two-pint pack will retail for $14.99, while supplies last.

Proof Hard Ice Cream Launches Chocolate Espresso Martini

PROOF Ice Cream is the first company to combine smooth creamy ice cream with the satisfying warmth of five percent alcohol by volume (5% ABV), producing its ice cream in small batches to ensure an indulgent experience you can taste and feel.

“We are pleased to offer this bold new product exclusively to Costco members in Southern California and Hawaii,”

Jenn Randall

Founder and CEO

PROOF Hard Ice Cream

“Our Chocolate Espresso Martini flavored hard ice cream offers the perfect blend of creamy chocolate ice cream with chocolate-covered espresso beans and notes of vodka.”

PROOF has pioneered a new dessert category with its innovative union of regulated levels of alcohol and premium ice cream, using proprietary formulas and production techniques to create a five percent alcohol by volume (5% ABV or 10 Proof) collection of flavors based on classic cocktails.

PROOF’s signature creamy texture is a result of having less air than other leading brands.

PROOF Ice Cream is currently available in six flavors

Currently available in six flavors: Chocolate Cherry Manhattan, Chocolate Espresso Martini, New York Cheesecake Martini, Sweet Caramel Old Fashioned, Strawberry Daiquiri Spritz, and Tropical Piña Colada.

PROOF currently distributes its ice cream in tamper-resistant containers to adults 21 and older in South Carolina, North Carolina, Florida, Illinois, Wisconsin, Missouri, and California, with additional states coming soon, as well as the opportunity to purchase online beginning this summer.

A leader in social responsibility and responsible consumption, PROOF is a Universal Women-Led^™ Certified Company headquartered in Columbia, S.C.

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For Passover: Carmel Winery Launches New Signature Series Wine for Passover: Carmel Black Cabernet Sauvignon

By Contributor — 10 months ago

For Passover: Carmel Winery Launches New Signature Series Wine for Passover: Carmel Black Cabernet Sauvignon

Carmel Winery Launches New Signature Series Wine for Passover: Carmel Black Cabernet Sauvignon

Carmel Winery, the largest and leading winery in Israel is launching a new wine from the Signature series – Carmel Black Cabernet Sauvignon

Kosher for Passover & All Year Long

Israel’s Carmel Winery will launch the USA premier of new CARMEL BLACK, a Signature Luxury brand, February 2024, just in time for the Passover season.

Carmel Winery – the largest winery in Israel – adds the new vintage to its distinguished SIGNATURE series, a portfolio of luxury wines from the highest-quality producing vineyards known for its long tradition of winemaking knowledge and expertise.

The new wine joins the brand’s highly successful Carmel Mediterranean Vats ($30 SRP), Single Vineyard ($45 SRP), Carmel Mediterranean ($60 SRP), and Carmel flagship wine Limited Edition ($99 SRP).

Carmel Black, a sign of strength and elegance, is a mysterious marvel that exudes prestige and sophistication.

Inspired by its boundless depth and signature timelessness, created Carmel Black, a new exclusive edition in the distinguished Carmel Signature series.

This full-bodied velvety wine epitomizes Carmel’s artistry and innovation and encapsulates the vast expertise and philosophy of Carmel Signature: to nurture and enhance the unique qualities of the grapes, extracting their best attributes and realize their full potential with love, care, and minimal interference.

Carmel Black Cabernet Sauvignon Galilee 2021 boasts a rich, dark crimson hue and delights the senses with aromas of ripe fruit, cassis, and hints of tomato leaf, complemented by subtle notes of warming spices.

This wine offers a full-bodied, silky texture, with flavors of luscious ripe red fruits that linger through a satisfying medium finish.

It has been meticulously aged for 14 months in French oak barrels within its wine cellars. Bottle aging potential: 5-7 years under suitable storage conditions.

Yiftah Peretz, Chief Winemaker of Carmel Winery, “Our new Carmel Black is meticulously aged for 14 months in French oak barrels. Grown in the Galilee, its climate provides comfortable temperatures which offer excellent conditions for nurturing and enhancing the unique qualities of the grape.

Etti Edri, Carmel’s Export Manager, “Israel is naturally the historical homeland of kosher wines, and we are excited to introduce our exclusive Carmel Black in the USA in time for Passover, when more than 40 percent of all kosher wine sales occur.”

Carmel BLACK Signature will be launched in the USA at the NJ Kosher Food & Wine Experience (KFWE), February 26, 2024. This important trade show regularly drives trends for Passover holiday wines and spirits, as well as year long forecasts. The trade event at the Meadowlands Hilton in Rutherford NJ is open to wine and spirits industry buyers, caterers, and restauranteurs.

Carmel BLACK Signature Cabernet Sauvignon 2021 Galilee (SRP: $30) can be purchased at specialty wine stores and online sites.

CARMEL SIGNATURE is Carmel Winery’s most prestigious wine category. The wines are produced from grapes nurtured and selected with strict precision from Carmel’s top vineyards, with an emphasis on elegance and harmony between all the elements.

Orange Country's The Wooden Floor Set to Host 41st Annual Concert

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Orange County’s The Wooden Floor Set to Host 41st Annual Concert at Irvine Barclay Theatre from May 30-June 1, 2024

By Contributor — 10 months ago

The Wooden Floor 41^st Annual Concert: Onward Celebrates a Tradition of Thought-Provoking Dance with an Inspiring Vision That Breaks the Cycle of Poverty in Youth

Students of The Wooden Floor will take the stage to premiere three new dance works for the organization’s 41st Annual Concert: Onward at Irvine Barclay Theatre from May 30-June 1, 2024, for four showings.

Irvine Barclay Theatre from May 30-June 1, 2024

This years’ acclaimed choreographers, Momar Ndiaye, Tristian Koepke, and The Wooden Floor Artistic Director Jennifer Bassage Bonfil will work alongside students to craft unique and transformative dances that claim national recognition and accolades due to their groundbreaking nature.

Momar Ndiaye, Tristian Koepke, Jennifer Bassage Bonfil will work alongside students to craft unique and transformative dances

Through our rigorous dance education program, students will dedicate hundreds of hours to the performance process, while evolving their intellectual capabilities through artistic collaboration.

By co-creating dance works with these renown choreographers, students drastically develop their Creativity, Confidence, Collaboration, Critical Thinking, Character, and Courage, which helps them succeed both in school and in life.

“Those who have never attended The Wooden Floor’s Annual Concert

are usually surprised by what they experience.

It is an important artistic performance for our students,

co-created with artists and designers

working at the top of their fields.

It is about uplifting our student’s belief in themselves,

and in each other,

which permeates all that they strive to accomplish each day,”

Dawn S. Reese

CEO of The Wooden Floor

“The art-making that you will witness on stage is the embodiment of the creativity, focus, and determination which each child brings. It is these personal learnings which provide the confidence and courage in each child to pursue their bold visions for their lives,” she said.

Meet the Choreographers

Jenniffer Bassage Bonfil, MFA is a respected Southern California-based modern dancer, dance maker, and dance educator and serves as The Wooden Floor’s Artistic Director. Jennifer earned her BFA from Chapman University in Dance Performance and an MA in Dance Education through the University of Northern Colorado. Jennifer was a founding company member of Orange County’s critically acclaimed Backhausdance from 2003 to 2016 and performed in over 15 original works, touring nationally and internationally. Jennifer is an adjunct professor and lecturer who has taught at Chapman University, California State University Long Beach, Santa Ana College, and West Coast Conservatory of Ballet. Chapman University awarded Jennifer the Distinguished Alumni Award, and California State University, Fullerton recognized Jennifer at their annual Honor an Educator event, both in 2022.

Momar Ndiaye, MFA is an international performer, choreographer, and instructor from Senegal. Prior to earning his MFA in dance from the University of Illinois, he worked as a performer-collaborator with many well-known choreographers from Africa, Europe, Asia and America and has toured his work internationally since 2004. Momar has danced with the international dance company Premiere Temp and has his own dance company called Cadanses. Momar is a recipient of the Bruno Nettl Award for excellence in choreography. He is also on faculty at the American Dance Festival and is an Assistant Professor at Ohio State University.

Tristian Koepke, MFA is a dancer, educator, choreographer and Rolfer® based in Portland, Maine. Tristian holds an MFA in Dance from the University of Maryland, College Park. He is an Assistant Professor at Bates College and is Associate Director of the Young Dancers Intensive at the Bates Dance Festival. He has performed in contemporary and experimental dance works by numerous acclaimed choreographers, including Kendra Portier. Tristian was a member of Zenon Dance Company and has shared his choreography, expertise, and artistic insight all over the country.

Join The Wooden Floor in a night of elevating dance that will captivate the minds of the audience through fresh and inventive choreography and artistry, while supporting the future of children in our community.

Event Details

Name: The Wooden Floor’s 41st Annual Concert, Onward

When: 8:00pm May 30 – June 1, 2024, plus 2:30pm matinee June 1, 2024

Where: Irvine Barclay Theatre, 4242 Campus Drive, Irvine, CA 92612

Tickets: $20 General Seating; $10 seating for children under 13 and students; $50 Benefit Seating, which includes a $30 tax-deductive contribution

Available: On sale beginning April 1 at TheWoodenFloor.org

About The Wooden Floor

Founded in 1983, The Wooden Floor is one of the foremost creative youth development nonprofit organizations in the country. We inspire and transform the lives of young people through the power of dance and access to higher education.

In Orange County and through national licensed partners, we use a long-term approach grounded in exploratory dance education to foster the confidence and gifts within each child to innovate, communicate, and collaborate – skills necessary for success in school and in life.

100 percent of students who graduate from The Wooden Floor enroll in higher education. Our students become change agents and beacons of hope within their own families, their neighborhoods, our community, and our world.

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SNL Legend Darrell Hammond, DJ Paul Oakenfold Celebrate Comic Christine Peake’s Birthday at Sunset Strip’s Hotel Ziggy to Support Breast Cancer Bandit

By Joe Winger — 11 months ago

SNL Legend Darrell Hammond, DJ Paul Oakenfold Celebrate Comic Christine Peake’s Birthday at Sunset Strip’s Hotel Ziggy to Support Breast Cancer Bandit

Comic Marisa Sulivan with Christine Peake

Comic Marisa Sullivan with Christine Peake

Hotel Ziggy was jam-packed to celebrate Comic Christine Peake’s birthday February 5.

Comedian and show Producer Christine Peake seen with CEO of sponsor ONEHOPE wine,her son Oliver Peake & his girlfriend Chandra East // Photo: Christine Peake

Comedian and show Producer Christine Peake seen with CEO Jake Kloberdanz of sponsor ONEHOPE wine,her son Oliver Peake & his girlfriend Chandra East // Photo: Christine Peake

Spotted among the crowd was SNL legend Darrell Hammond, One Hope Wine’s CEO Jake Kloberdanz, comics Marisa Sullivan, Cat Ce, Greg Baldwin, Elijah Blue Allman and wife Queenie, Executive Lainie Jordan, Media Publisher Joe Winger, indie filmmakers Susan Dynner and Alesia Glidewell.

Elijah Blue Allman and Queeny King. PHOTO: EUGENE POWERS PHOTOGRAPHY

Comedians Thash Mose, Christine Peake, Marisa Sullivan and Marc Gordon

The show started with a “this is your life” inspired segment hosted by Mark Gordon that walked Christine through her famed, outrageous, and notorious history. Her modeling days, her celebrity days, being a mother, and most of all – being a badass.

Author Scott Nathan was chatting with DJ Paul Oakenfold about his new book “The Big Book Of Bad Decisions”

Christine Peake had an explosive night. Unapologetic, and all smiles. She walks on stage with a Liza Minelli via 1970s “Cabaret” vibe, all sass and attitude. Within moments the crowd explodes with a “Did she really just say that??” feeling. Oh, she did. And she’s gonna go way further.

Peake razzle dazzles on stage, melting away any “cancel culture” chilly vibe and creating a hot room for big laughs. She pops and shimmies across the stage in a Charlie Chaplin’s classic “Tramp” kinda way, while letting loose on politics, culture, and all the thoughts her audience is thinking, but are too afraid to say — she says them!

Keep an eye on Marisa Sullivan. A veteran of sketch comedy, but tonight was her first stand-up show. Powerful, brave, sensual and funny. She is a cancer survivor and founded Breast Cancer Bandit. She teases us along, slowly going deep, getting real, more vulnerable with her life’s journey. Then, like a comic ninja, she attacks with her biggest joke. Big heart, even bigger laughs.

Greg Baldwin is equal parts “aw shucks, nice guy”, self-help guru and deranged clown. He’s been through alot and he makes jokes through even the darkest parts. One second we’re sharing a cathartic moment, the next step we’re laughing at his zany adventures.

Socialite Linda Chou, Comedian Christine Peake and actress Nika Khitrova // photo David Chou

Darrell Hammond continues his reign of making laugh out loud comedy look easy. I’ve seen him live 6 times and every time the room shakes with laughter. Tonight he used the intimate setting to bring some crowd work into his act and the laughs echoed out onto the Sunset Strip.

Darrell Hammond // photo: by Arpit Mehta

DJ Paul Oakenfold brought rhythmic love and thunder to close out the night. Intense, wild and lords of love! Oakenfold knows how to crank the party to 11 and he and his music brought it to a rainy Monday night.

Hotel Ziggy

West Hollywood’s Hotel Ziggy Is a Place for the Creative Renegades. Part Music Venue, Part Boutique Hotel. Their Stylish Accommodations Are the Perfect Oasis.

ChocoVivo

ChocoVino is the first bean to bar chocolate factory in LA. In 2009, ChocoVivo’s journey began at one farmer’s market stand stone-grinding cacao nibs from bean-to-bar. Fourteen years later, they’ve changed lives and contributed positively to the community and evolved with the mantra “Simple is Better”. Today they offer tastings, tours and a variety of high quality chocolate for sale.

BTL SVC

The 1934 Cosmo, Gin martini, Old fashioned, Sidecar, Manhattan. They offer all the classic cocktails and more!

The BTL SVC family of cocktails are a symbol of craftsmanship and passion. Made with only the finest ingredients, each one is as unique as the individual

Tikkun Holistic Spa

All lucky guests found a celebrity favorite, Tikkun Holistic Spa, pass on their seats

Aqua Hydrate Water

The performance water is formulated for people with or seeking an active lifestyle. AQUAhydrate offers superior hydration without sugar or calories.

Parch Agave Cocktail

Taking a break from alcohol? This tasty mocktail is your answer. A citrus and bittersweet cocktail that showcases the lively pairing of Organic Blue Weber Agave, Prickly Pear Cactus Fruit, Grapefruit & Orange Bitters

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Hey LA, Why does Wisconsin Already know the Big Winner on Superbowl Sunday?

By Kelsey Ridley — 11 months ago

Wisconsin Already knows the Big Winner on Superbowl Sunday

When the Big Game rolls around each February, Wisconsin Cheese knows that eyes are on both the TV and what’s on the table.

If you do the cheese math, Wisconsin crafts 600 types, styles, and varieties of cheese, which means there are 600 options for cheese A, 599 options for cheese B, and 598 options for cheese C. The total combinations equal 214 million cheeseboard options, and with 126 million households in the U.S., no two game day spreads need to be the same.

“With friends gathered around the TV and taste buds craving something extraordinary,

Wisconsin Cheese is here to elevate the game day experience

with artisan cheeses for a vast array of cheeseboard combinations,”

Suzanne Fanning

CMO of Wisconsin Cheese.

“Wisconsin crafts 50% of the nation’s specialty cheese, which means The State of Cheese has the award-winning cheeses to make every spread score points with fans of any team.”

Play your starting lineup: an award-winning cheeseboard that will win over every guest’s taste buds. Whether you want to keep it classic or try a creative new play with thrilling flavors, these cheese boards will enliven your snacking array:

Salty and spicy is a game-winning combo. This Spicy Game Day Board is an easy win for any host.
Live, breathe, and even eat football with this Bacon Sriracha Cheese Football.
Don’t forget to hydrate. Try the beverage-inspired Bloody Mary Cheeseboard, featuring all your favorite drink add-ins.
No matter the final score, enjoy a sweet ending with a Dessert and Coffee Cheeseboard.

Whichever team you’re cheering for this season, Wisconsin Cheese is always a winner during the big game. Find inspiration for future game day parties with another one of our cheese board recipes, like this Fiesta Cheese Board, this Wisconsin Cheese and Charcuterie Board, or another spread that suits your style from our selection of over 300 handcrafted recipes featuring Wisconsin Cheese.

Be sure to share your creations with us on Instagram and Facebook. For more information about award-winning Wisconsin Cheese and winning recipes, visit www.wisconsincheese.com.

Wisconsin Cheese

The tradition of cheesemaking excellence began more than 180 years ago before Wisconsin was recognized as a state. With 90% of the State’s cow’s milk being turned into cheese, Wisconsin’s 1,200 cheesemakers, many of whom are third- and fourth-generation, continue to pass on old-world traditions while adopting modern innovations in cheesemaking craftsmanship. Wisconsin has won more awards for its cheese than any other state or country.

For more information, visit WisconsinCheese.com.

Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin

Funded by Wisconsin dairy farmers, Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin is a non-profit organization that focuses on marketing and promoting Wisconsin’s world-class dairy products.

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Actress & Supermodel Eugenia Kuzmina Spotted at Westside’s Best Kept Secret – Tikkun Spa in Santa Monica

By Christine Peake — 11 months ago

Actress & Supermodel Eugenia Kuzmina Spotted at Westside’s Best Kept Secret – Tikkun Spa in Santa Monica — and Shares Her Favorite Facial As She Gets Glam For Her Latest Movie Premiere.

Stunning supermodel & actress Eugenia Kuzmina was seen this week at Tikkun Spa in Santa Monica.

She stopped in to sample one of their most popular hydra-facial complete with a radio frequency body contour.

Esthetician Jenny Duh performed the speciality facial – She is medically trained and has a loyal and well deserved following in the beauty industry. // Photo Christine Peake

The Guy Ritchie favorite, (she has appeared in several of his films,) needed to hydrate her face before taking the red eye flight to New York City, where she walked the red carpet of her new movie starring fellow actor and comedian Matt Rife.

The movie is called “A Celebration Of Young Hollywood.”

To get fabulous Eugenia opted for a full hydrating facial with a korean contour with lymph drain massage. Her skin looked amazing as she headed off to the airport!

“I love it. Now I will be hydrated when I land!”

Said the Russian beauty

Stunning supermodel & actress Eugenia Kuzmina enjoying her facial by esthetician Jenny Duh // Photo: Christine Peake

Eugenia Kuzmina applies her favorite Aspire Ageless Beauty products, she is also their spokesperson.

Eugenia looked radiant after the facial as seen in NYC Feb 1st

Eugenia’ Kuzmina’s movie premiered in NYC this week

TIKKUN HOLISTIC SPA is a wellness sanctuary designed to heal and rejuvenate your mind and body. Our special treatments have been carefully selected to restore your health and well-being, helping you to relax and replenish your energy. Let our experienced therapists take care of you and revitalize your essential being.

SPA JOURNEY TREATMENTS & BODY WRAPS

Prior to treatment, 20 minutes in the salt & clay far-infrared rooms are recommended to promote detoxification.

REJUVENATING HYDRAFACIAL

This celebrity favorite is often referred to as the red carpet facial. Our unique procedure integrates Diamond Tip Microderm for cleansing and exfoliation, followed by extraction and hydration, with Vortex-Fusion of antioxidants, peptides, and hyaluronic acid to rejuvenate your skin. Targets sun damage, fine lines, dehydrated and oily skin.

KOREAN CONTOUR FACIAL

A 10-step customized facial using the best secrets of Korean beauty and skin care products to reveal healthy, radiant, glowing skin. Special massage techniques such as facial fascia manipulation, acupressure, and lymphatic drainage facial massage are used to contour and tighten the skin.

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Fritz Coleman’s Show Extended: “UnAssisted Living” on live at NoHo’s El Portal thru May, on TubiTV

By Joe Winger — 11 months ago

Fritz Coleman’s Show Extended: “UnAssisted Living” on live at NoHo’s El Portal thru May, on TubiTV

LA Legendary newscaster Fritz Coleman extends his show “Unassisted Living” at North Hollywood’s El Portal Theater. Today we talk with Fritz about comedy during “cancel culture”, performing clean and his comedy special playing on TubiTV.com

Below is edited for length and clarity. To see the full conversation, visit FlavRReport YouTube Channel.

Today we have a returning guest. Fritz Coleman, thank you so much for coming back again

Fritz Coleman: I am honored to be back. It’s so rare to be invited back anywhere and you’re a gentleman.

Joe Winger: Last time it was very diverse. Because I’m a comedy geek, and I love live comedy. I really want to dive deep with you this time.

So the show is called Unassisted Living. It’s taped live at the El Puerto Theater, shown on TubiTV.com.

Fritz Coleman: Tubi is a free streaming service. It’s like Hulu. It’s an advertiser supported streaming service. There are very few ads at beginning and in the end, but I’m just happy to have it there.

We appealed to Tubi by saying that there are a lot of Netflix and Amazon prime comedy specials, but very few geared to the demographic that I talk to, which is, as I say, old people and their parents.

We thought that it would be fun for boomers and above just talking about the common experiences of aging and having grandchildren and how do we survive the pandemic and all that. We seem to have found an audience for this. We’re just having a blast. I love that.

What’s Live Comedy like after the Pandemic?

Joe Winger: You’ve mentioned a few times in public about how it’s funny to go back to a regular comedy routine after the pandemic. What’s changed the most?

Fritz Coleman: That’s a great question. I would say a couple of things have changed. Some good, some bad. I think, and I don’t know that this has anything to do with a pandemic. It has to do with a cultural divide in America. The difference in opinions and how prickly and protective people are about their own opinions.

Things have gotten very politically correct. Now I don’t do political humor. I don’t even do current events humor, really. And there’s a selfish reason for that.

First of all, the shelf life of current events material is very short and second of all nobody’s going to do it better than Bill Maher or Stephen Colbert or Jimmy Kimmel.

Third of all, it’s just a time where people are so hypersensitive about everything you don’t even have to do a punchline about Donald Trump or anything related to that.

You can just say the word in the setup and be booed. You get it from the audience. So I want to avoid that.

The good aspect of what has changed in comedy

Truthfully now the good aspect of what has changed is I don’t think there’s been a time in recent history when comedy has been more important because there’s a kind of a malaise.

There’s a sort of a mild national depression again, it’s the cultural divide. It might be a post pandemic PTSD kind of thing, people just want to be taken out of their heads. So what I do is get up there and talk about the common experience of getting old and just the common experience of American life for people my age.

If you connect with them and they recognize what you’re talking about and they laugh, it’s very cathartic for them.

For that one hour and 15 minutes, you’ve taken them out of their heads. You’ve made them forget that things are not perfect in the world. And I think it’s very therapeutic. So from that respect it’s a good time right now for standup, but it’s also a time when it’s fraught with landmines.

Joe Winger: I want to go a little more into detail on TubiTV, what it’s like to shoot a show. Obviously in the 1980s and 1990s, HBO and Comedy Central did a lot of live comedy. I should say live to tape, it’s not actually live. Now Netflix has become so incredibly popular.

Tell us how to access and see the show. So what’s it like both starring in the show, producing the show, and what does it actually take to make the show happen?

Fritz Coleman: I have a favorite theater in Southern California called the El Portal Theater in North Hollywood. I have a residency there through May now.

We’ve just been extended for the second time. Once a month, I do a show there. And within the El Portal, it’s a very iconic Southern California performing venue, hey have a smaller theater called the Marilyn Monroe Forum. It’s a 100 seat theater. It’s a semi-circular. It’s a half theater in the round.

I chose this venue for a couple of reasons. First of all, I like the intimacy of it. I like to walk up and look into people’s eyes and see their reaction.

It becomes more of a conversation than a performance. I saw this venue on Hacks, which is a great show about stand up starring Jean Smart. I don’t like shows about stand-up mainly, I’m too

They did one of their episodes where they wanted to shoot her in a more cocktail table environment. They shot an episode in this theater where they had six or seven cocktail tables in front. Overhead cameras and lighting, beautiful lighting.

I thought that’s where I want to do my show. That’s exactly how I want it to look. It’s not a big, broad performance where you’re strutting the stage like Chappelle or any of those guys.

So I taped it there and it felt really good.

When you [produce the show] yourself. You hire a producer and a director and I did that and trusted that they would bring my vision to light. We had a great show, we took one Sunday afternoon to tape two shows, 3pm and 7pm and then we cut the best of the two together and presented the final product to all the streamers.

We had some interest from First World Digital which is the digital content arm of A24. Then got interest from Tubi.

So we had to find a streamer that thought it was important for us to appeal to boomers and adults.

It works so well that I got a residency at this theater, meaning once a month I do a show there and we just got extended for the second time.

We will be there once a month through May and It’s fantastic. I’m at a stage in my life where I’m not looking to have national fame. I just love the work. I love to do local theaters and clubs and whoever will have me now. And it’s been a blast.

Joe Winger: You seem so incredibly comfortable on camera. You’ve mentioned in the press, the daily grind that was your day job. What I’m wondering about is what’s your process like building up your show?

Fritz Coleman: It’s your daily job. There are two guys that had a spectacular work ethic in our business. One was George Carlin, who wrote for hours every day, and Jerry Seinfeld, who would discipline himself to write for a couple hours every day.

Even if you don’t have anything ruminating in your mind, you have to write every day. You have to discipline yourself to sit in front of that page and write. Something will happen. And you have to do it, and it’s a grind. And all writing can be lonely and laborious and not productive, but you have to do it.

And then you have to try it. But I think one out of ten concepts or jokes or bits that you come up with, ultimately make it into your long act

Larry Miller, one of the great stand ups, a great friend of Seinfeld said, “Building a stand up act is like operating a moonshine still. You get one drip at a time and it takes forever.”

And it really does. The beauty of not having my job and I had the fortune of having an astonishingly wonderful job at NBC Los Angeles for 40 years. I was their main weekday weather guy.

But I did 12 hours a day there. Then I would write, then I would do shows between the early and late news and come back. But now that I’m retired from that job, I can discipline myself to write every morning. I can concentrate on the quality of my shows. I have this Residency, which allows me to do new blocks of material every time.

So more than any other time in my career, my set is expanding more quickly. It requires discipline and it just requires sticking to it.

Joe Winger: Jerry Seinfeld is famously not blue. But other names, George Carlin, Richard Pryor, Robert Klein are certainly more aggressive

In your own words, you’re famously “squeaky clean”. Is that a deliberate choice on your part? What are the advantages, disadvantages to that?

Fritz Coleman: There are both advantages and disadvantages. I’m clean for two reasons. When I first started in comedy, when I came out here in 1980 to Los Angeles to do stand up, and you were auditioning to go on the talk shows, Carson, Merv Griffin, Dinah Shore, whoever’s talk shows you were doing, you had to be clean.

And when you were working in the [comedy club] rooms, you had to be clean, even if you weren’t auditioning for the talent coordinators on their shows, because if they were in the room watching somebody else and saw you be blue or really edgy on stage, it would be impossible to get their attention because they were afraid for their own job.

So you had to work clean.

So I just disciplined myself into that. The second reason why clean is important is because you will get more very lucrative corporate work, if you’re clean. If IBM has a conference in Las Vegas and they’re looking for somebody to entertain their 10, 000 person mid-level-management convention, you have to be squeaky clean.

You can’t even do double entendres and many times they’ll want to parse your act before you even do it. It’s better business to work clean.

Third of all, I’m in my seventies and people my age appreciate a cleaner act.

That was another thing we pitched to Tubi. I’m Dave Chappelle’s biggest fan, Chris Rock’s biggest fan, but there are people my age that just wince at some of the language and stuff.

I don’t want them to be uncomfortable. I’m not here like Richard Pryor was or George Carlin was to challenge the First Amendment. I’m not there to push the boundaries. Honest to God, I just want to make people laugh and smile and have a good time and feel better for one hour.

Joe Winger: When you’re out and about at these shows, you meet younger comics who might be asking you for advice. Is there any common advice you give to young performers or performers newer to the industry?

Fritz Coleman: Yeah, be true to yourself. Find who you are.

You’ll always start out copying somebody else. When I started out, I was copying, and sometimes you do it subconsciously. I was copying Robert Klein and his beautiful stage presentation, and George Carlin and his writing skills.

Then after a while, you’ll find out what makes you unique and you’ll write to that and find yourself. Stick to that and don’t quit.

It can be a ruthless business to try to get a foothold in, but don’t quit. The longer you go and discipline yourself to, to writing and being true to your character, people can sense phoniness from a mile away.

Just be true to yourself. And that’s what people resonate with.

Fritz Coleman’s comedy show “Unassisted Living” has been extended at North Hollywood’s El Portal through May 2024. Find tix and schedule here.

Find Fritz Coleman’s comedy special “Unassisted Living” on TubiTv.

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