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LA Heartbreak: “Goodbye Pies” for Valentine’s Day with Pizza Hut delivering Spicy News in a Sweet Way

LA Heartbreak: “Goodbye Pies” for Valentine’s Day with Pizza Hut delivering Spicy News in a Sweet Way

Pizza Hut announces a new Valentine’s Day offering, “Goodbye Pies” with the launch of its new sweet yet spicy Hot Honey pizza.

There’s a misconception that breakups don’t happen around Valentine’s Day, but research shows it’s actually a holiday centered around the most heartbreak with 45% of people agreeing it’s better to do the deed right before the holiday itself*.

There’s even a phenomenon called ‘Red Tuesday’, which is the Tuesday before Valentine’s Day, where people break up most often in the year.**

That’s why starting this Red Tuesday, February 6, through Valentine’s Day, Pizza Hut is launching new, limited-edition Hot Honey “Goodbye Pies” to help deliver spicy news in a sweet way for FREE.

By sending a Goodbye Pie, Pizza Hut will help you break up with your significant other by delivering a personalized, simple message on custom packaging with a sweet and spicy Hot Honey pizza to ease the pain.

The custom Goodbye Pie pizza boxes also leave a space on the top for the break-upper’s name to be added.

To submit for a chance to send a free Goodbye Pie, simply visit GoodbyePies.com starting February 6 to ditch that awkward break-up convo and send a pizza instead.

This offer will be available through February 14 at select locations in the three major U.S. cities notorious for heartbreaks – NYC, Chicago and Miami, while supplies last. Not available in your city?

The website above can also be used to request Pizza Hut instead write a breakup text for you to send, along with a link to a gift card for your future-ex to redeem a free Hot Honey pizza. Limited quantities only available during this limited time.***

“The rising popularity of the sweet-heat flavor profile has led to Hot Honey becoming the most requested test item by our team members and we are thrilled to have it as the newest addition to our menu,” shared Lindsay Morgan, Chief Marketing Officer at Pizza Hut.

“With the launch of Goodbye Pies, we are bringing that perfect blend of sweet and heat experience to real life, delivering spicy news in the sweetest way for Valentine’s Day.”

Pizza Hut’s Hot Honey Pizza and Wings can be found nationwide at participating Pizza Hut locations starting at $11.99 for a medium pizza and $5.99 for 6 count boneless wings. Pricing and participation may vary.

  • Hot Honey Pizza: Featuring a pizza crust topped with marinara sauce, a generous layer of cheese, classic pepperoni, a hot honey drizzle made with real honey infused with chili peppers and crispy cupped pepperoni, balancing the honey’s sweet heat with the savory-salty taste of the pepperoni. The crisp pepperoni cups are ideally shaped to hold the hot honey drizzle.
  • Hot Honey WingsAvailable in both bone-in and boneless versions, these wings are coated in Hot Honey and double-dipped in sensational sweet heat flavors.

This new Hot Honey innovation will be spotlighted in a new Pizza Hut campaign, titled “Pizza wHut!?” which will roll out nationally in February bringing to life Pizza Hut’s commitment to flavor innovation as the brand continues to reinvent and perfect everyone’s favorites with new and craveable flavors.

Visit PizzaHut.com for more information.

*According to YouGov.com poll.
**Described on The-Sun.com.


*** AVAILABLE FIRST-COME, FIRST-SERVED, WHILE SUPPLIES LAST EACH DAY. QUANTITIES ARE LIMITED. Open to legal US residents physically residing in the 50 U.S. and D.C who are 18+ years of age. Offer Recipients must live in select zip codes in New York CityChicago or Miami. Ends at 11:59:59 pm CT on 2/14/24, or when all available Incentives are claimed (whichever comes first). A minimum of 10 Goodbye Pie Incentives and 50 Breakup Text Offers are available each Incentive and Offer Period per Market. Limit one (1) Incentive and Offer per person and per household. Other restrictions apply.

For Incentive and Offer Periods and a list of eligible Zip Codes and full Terms, visit www.goodbyepies.com/terms

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

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

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

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

Eugenia Kuzmina’s movie premiered in NYC this week

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.

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.

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.

Valentine’s Day: 10 Yummy Food and Beverage Gift Ideas

10 Unique Food and Beverage Gift Ideas for Valentine’s Day

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, and we all know the drill — flowers, chocolates, candy, rinse and repeat.

Although a lovely sentiment, it’s not exactly the stuff that legends are made of, right?

So, we dove deep into the web and came up with a list of food and beverage items that say “I love you” in an unconventional and out-of-the-box way.

These gems are not your garden-variety tokens of affection; they’re off-beat, they’re fun, and they scream “Be Mine” in the most deliciously distinctive ways.

From quirky snacks to sippable surprises, here’s our list of

10 unique food & beverage gifts for Valentine’s day

Olive & Cocoa Chocolate Heart Pretzels

Imagine a dozen crunchy pretzels, each smothered in a dreamy mix of milk and white chocolate and then dotted with playful pink hearts.

Both salty and sweet, as most relationships are, these tantalizing treats arrive in a chic, handcrafted wooden crate, tied up with a red ribbon, and just in time for Valentine’s Day.

Trust us, they are the yummiest way to say “I heart you!” 

Visit Olive and Cocoa here 

BareOrganics Ashwagandha Root Powder

Ever heard of Ashwagandha Root?

It’s like nature’s own love boosting superfood – the Ayurvedic secret often dubbed as a ‘natural viagra’ for both ladies and gents. And, it’s not just about cranking up your libido and vitality; it’s also great for knocking down stress and anxiety, which are the usual, and unfortunate romance killers.

Sprinkle some of this 100% USDA Certified Organic magic powder into your daily routine and get ready for a more sumptuous and satisfying sex life.

Visit the Ashwaganha Root

Lou’s Heart Shaped Chocolate Chip Cookie & Heart Shaped Pizza

Double the love straight from the Windy City!

We’re talking about Lou Malnati’s heart-shaped deep dish pizza for two, with your pick of cheesy goodness or savory sausage, paired with a giant heart-shaped chocolate chip cookie. And this cookie isn’t just any cookie – it’s the same recipe used in Lou Malnati’s iconic pizzerias.

It’s like a big hug from Chicago, sent straight to your door this Valentine’s Day. Who can resist that?

Click here for Taste of Chicago

Be My Huckleberry Hand Pies

Get ready to fall hard for these delicious hand pies, bursting with juicy Montana huckleberries and blueberries.

Elle’s Belles country kitchen whips up each small-batch bakes with love, making these some of the tastiest treats you’ll ever devour.

And here’s the kicker — each pie is handcrafted, ensuring your gift is as unique as it is delicious. But remember, all good things take time, and these handmade beauties need 24 hours to bake and package before heading your way.

Click here to check out Huckleberry Hand Pies

Dora’s Heart-Shaped Ravioli for 2

 

Whisk your taste buds to Italy on Valentine’s Day with Nonna Dora’s heart-shaped ravioli, a beloved staple for 25 years at New York City’s I Trulli!

Handcrafted with special Italian flour, these beauties get their charming stripes from beet puree and are filled with creamy Italian ricotta. Boil them up, sauté with butter and sage, and voilà—a romantic dinner to remember.

Behind these gems is “Nonna Dora” Marzovilla, a pasta-making legend for over 70 years, now delighting NYC with her own spot, Nonna Dora’s Pasta Bar. It’s like getting a squeeze from an Italian nonna in every bite! 

Click here for Dora’s Heart-Shaped Ravioli

Jerky Heart

Why settle for the same old same old chocolates in a heart shaped box when you can gift BEEF JERKY instead!

The Man Crates Exclusive Heart Box includes: 1 Dave’s Pepperoni Pork Stick, 1 Dave’s Wine Pork Stick, 1 Dave’s Orange Habanero Pork Stick, 1 Dave’s Honey Bourbon Formed Beef Bit, 1 Dave’s Honey Root Beer Formed Beef Bit, 

1 Dave’s Sesame Ginger Formed Beef Bit, 3 Cajun Beef Sticks, 2 Teriyaki Beef Sticks, and 3 Habanero BBQ Beef Sticks to highly satisfy your most beloved carnivore. 

And, for that extra touch of testosterone, you can have the box “gift wrapped” in red colored duct tape.

Visit Man Crates

Tipsy Bubbly Rose

Yup!  That’s right folks… a phallus shaped bottle of pink sparkling rosé wine for that very special someone. We’ll just leave it right there…

Click here to visit Tipsy Brand

Candied Bacon Bouquet

What better way to say “I love you” than with an elegant bouquet of long-stemmed candied bacon shaped roses. Perfect for anyone who can’t resist the sweet and salty combo of maple syrup and bacon, each rose shaped flower is topped with a red sugar coating to keep those roses a brightly blooming red. 

Visit Bacon Bouquets

Meat Card

Why settle for a Hallmark card when you can have your love note laser engraved on a 4″ x 9″ sheet of meat? 

Manly Man Co. offers customized greetings of 100 characters at max on a 100% edible sheet of savory beef jerky. 

Made to order and vacuum sealed for freshness, it’s the yummiest way to share your affection.

Visit Manly Man Co

Heart-Shaped Tea Bags

Heart-Shaped Tea Bags

Seeking a little romantic tea time with your honey?

Jacqueline Aliotti’s heart-shaped tea bags are the perfect choice to heat things up. Inspired by her childhood in Lyon, France, surrounded by the warmth of her parents’ tea shop, each boxed set includes 5 English Breakfast, 5 Earl Grey, and 5 White Berry tea bags, perfect for sharing a romantic afternoon with your Valentine. 

Visit UnCommon Goods

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

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.

 

RuPaul, World Of Wonder Get ‘Dry and Dirty’ this January with HOUSEOFLOVE Premium Canned Mocktails and Cocktails

RuPaul, World Of Wonder Get ‘Dry and Dirty’ this January with HOUSEOFLOVE Premium Canned Mocktails and Cocktails

World Of Wonder and RuPaul Unveil New HOUSEOFLOVE Premium Canned Mocktails AND Cocktails for a ‘Dry and Dirty’ January

World of Wonder and RuPaul, the multiple Emmy-award winning team behind the “RuPaul’s Drag Race” global franchise, are serving up three new flavor additions to the HOUSEOFLOVE premium canned cocktail and mocktail line.

Inspired by RuPaul’s culture-shaping “Drag Race” franchise

Inspired by the culture-shaping “Drag Race” franchise, the new HOUSEOFLOVE cocktails and mocktails are launching this month, January 2024, just in time for Season 16 of RuPaul’s Drag Race.

The new flavors include two low ABV, 100 cal selections alongside a 0% ABV mocktail to serve the growing demands driven by Gen Z and millennial consumers. The non-alcoholic sector is expected to grow to $30 billion in 2025, according to Global Market Insights.

In true Drag form, the brand is debuting its beverages with a “dry and dirty campaign,” bringing irreverence into the wellness trend with a line up of mouthwatering new flavors.

Vodka Soda Citrus

Vodka Soda Citrus: This perfect vodka soda, bursting with citrusy goodness, is made with premium vodka, lime juice, and natural flavors. (100 cal, 4% ABV)

Passion Fruit Margarita

Passion Fruit Margarita: Made with Authentic Tequila and natural Passion Fruit flavor, this margarita pairs well with tropical vacations, forgetting your ex-boyfriend, and nights out with your best Judys. (100 cal, 4% ABV)

Totally Tropical Mocktail

Totally Tropical Mocktail: This tropical mocktail, featuring natural guava, passion fruit, and citrus flavors, is the one – totally. Best paired with valley girl energy and long walks on the beach. Ru’s new HOUSEOFLOVE fav!

“We are pleased as punch to provide even more delicious offerings from the HOUSEOFLOVE!…”

“…After selling out the product at DragCon LA, we wanted to meet the demand for both mocktails and lower-calorie options. HOUSEOFLOVE pairs best with season 16 of RuPaul’s Drag Race – cheers!” said World of Wonder co-founders Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato.

Built on the cult following of the brand, HOUSEOFLOVE  will be debuting and sampling flavors at RuPaul’s Drag Race viewing parties and bars across NY, NJ, LA, Chicago, Vegas, and available for purchase at local retailers.

HOUSEOFLOVE cocktails and mocktails are available for purchase in fine liquor stores in major markets across the US, and direct to consumer at houseoflovecocktails.com.

About World of Wonder

World of Wonder (WOW) has reshaped international pop culture, earning 30 Emmys, inspiring two Oscars, creating global network WOW Presents Plus across 190 territories, and bringing drag culture to the world stage via RuPaul’s Drag Race and DragCon.

WOW’s pioneering television portfolio includes other smash-hit franchises like Million Dollar Listing. Their film division WOW Docs produces groundbreaking documentaries including Mapplethorpe: Look at the Pictures, Party Monster, and The Eyes of Tammy Faye.

WOW also operates YouTube channel WOWPresents, music label World of Wonder Records, the WOW Podcast Network, and year-round international live events. Co-founders Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato have been profiled in Variety’s Reality TV Impact Report and Hollywood Reporter’s Most Powerful Producers in Unscripted.

Honors for their trailblazing work include the IDA Pioneer Award, Realscreen’s Global 100 list, Banff’s Impact Award, and the OUT 100. In 2022, World of Wonder was ranked #2 among film and TV powerhouses in Fast Company’s World’s 50 Most Innovative Companies.

Fiery yet Refreshing! Truff Expands their Hot Sauces with Jalapeño Lime Hot Sauce

Fiery yet Refreshing! Truff Expands their Hot Sauces with Jalapeño Lime Hot Sauce

Truff expands hot sauce with Truff Jalapeño Lime Hot Sauce

TRUFF, the truffle brand known for reimagining and elevating pantry staples, releases TRUFF Jalapeño Lime Hot Sauce, its newest hot sauce variation.

Fiery yet Refreshing! Truff Expands their Hot Sauces with Jalapeño Lime Hot Sauce

Truff Expands their Hot Sauces with Jalapeño Lime Hot Sauce

This vibrant green sauce boasts an entirely new flavor profile – and color – from the brand’s line of luxurious hot sauces.

It offers a harmonious blend of fiery green jalapeño peppers and refreshing lime with TRUFF’s namesake ingredient, the black winter truffle.

“Our goal with TRUFF has always been to create products

so unique that they offer a flavor experience like no other,”

Nick Ajluni

Co-Founder and Co-CEO at TRUFF

“This time, we are taking inspiration from the rich, vibrant, and colorful culture of Latin cuisine to create a flavor profile that has yet to be explored.”

Truff's Jalapeño Lime Hot Sauce

Truff’s Jalapeño Lime Hot Sauce

TRUFF has brought truffle-infused products to a broad consumer base through its premium condiments line spanning hot sauce, pasta sauce, mayonnaise, oil and salt. TRUFF’s hero product, its hot sauce, is a leading seller in the natural channel and the fastest-growing hot sauce in conventional grocery.

The new Jalapeño Lime Hot Sauce is the brand’s latest addition on its quest to offer unparalleled flavor experiences.

“We dove deep into Latin cuisine, indulging in endless tacos, ceviches, aguachiles and chilaquiles. We noticed that two ingredients – green jalapeño and lime – were commonly used to complement and enhance dishes,” says Nick Guillen, Co-Founder and Co-CEO at TRUFF.

Truff's Jalapeño Lime Hot Sauce

Truff’s Jalapeño Lime Hot Sauce

“We pursued these bold flavors and the result is a sauce that is both elevated and celebratory in nature. Whether drizzled over dishes from your local taco truck or added to a Michelin-starred culinary creation, the TRUFF Jalapeño Lime Hot Sauce is designed to elevate any meal.”

TRUFF’s new Jalapeño Lime Hot Sauce will be available in 6-ounce bottles topped with TRUFF’s distinctive truffle-inspired cap in a captivating green. It will launch exclusively at Whole Foods Market this January and will be available online at TRUFF.com starting January 11, 2024.

TRUFF has experienced groundbreaking company growth since its launch in 2017. The brand’s distinctive flavor, high-quality ingredients, new product innovation, and social following have helped it build a significant base of loyal consumers, an impressive list of collaborators, and accolades.

The brand’s latest partnerships include launches with Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen and The Super Mario Brothers Movie. In November of 2023, it was announced that SKYY Partners— Jay Sammons and Kim Kardashian’s private equity firm focused on high-growth, market-leading consumer brands — had acquired a significant minority stake in TRUFF.

Truff's Jalapeño Lime Hot Sauce

For more information please visit TRUFF.com or @sauce on Instagram.

TRUFF’s lineup of luxury pantry staples is designed to elevate the dining experience.

TRUFF’s lineup of luxury pantry staples is designed to elevate the dining experience. Originally founded through a popular food and lifestyle Instagram blog called @sauce, TRUFF immediately propelled into social media virality with the release of its hot sauce in 2017.

The brand quickly became the fastest growing company in the hot sauce space due to its distinctive flavor profile, pristine bottle, Truffle Inspired cap, and of course the coveted Instagram account @sauce that makes tagging a no-brainer. Taking inspiration from the flagship black truffle experience, TRUFF has expanded its family of products to include other popular favorites like Pasta Sauce, Mayonnaise, Oil and Salt.

You can find TRUFF’s variety of products in stores nationwide and around the world in the UK, AustraliaKuwait, and South Korea. TRUFF is gluten-free and non-GMO. Visit www.TRUFF.com for more information and recipes.

Hollywood entertainer Cat Ce On Staying Physically & Mentally Fit In Hollywood

Hollywood entertainer Cat Ce On Staying Physically & Mentally Fit In Hollywood

“It’s all about balance”

All round entertainer and producer Cat Ce is a familiar face and name in Hollywood circles.

Known for Producing sold out comedy shows every month at The Ice House, The World Famous Comedy Store etc. She also is a fan favorite guest star on leading shows at Jimmy Kimmel’s Comedy Club Las Vegas.

When not doing stand up comedy, she is a working actress and just celebrated her 50th popular Podcast, which is on spotify and iheart radio.

Cat Ce is definitely productively packing her days with her creativity and manages to stay fit and radiant. She is also a certified Pilates teacher – which explains the body!

Physical stamina is a must for her busy schedule

Physical stamina is a must for her busy schedule

Her work out regime is very specific to her needs and she swears by swimming to keep her body toned and mind relaxed.

Anyone who has been backstage at a comedy show or eaten at a comedy club will tell you there are specific comfort foods that may not be the healthiest if eaten on a nightly basis. Who doesn’t love pizza or chicken wings and fries at 11pm?

Well, Cat Ce for one stays away from the temptations as much as she can.

“I try to eat healthy & balanced meals.

Smoothies, fruits, veggies, fish or lean meat with great protein are my main nutrients…”

reveals Cat Ce

“…I try to do everything in moderation. I don’t completely cut out bread, I just try to minimize the intake of carbs, get enough protein, and never deprive myself. I have  a balanced lifestyle. Staying active with daily exercise, and swimming is my daily routine. A solid workout  will obviously help you stay in shape, but  also helps me manage stress.

Cat Ce wears many hats and works out regularly to stay fit

Cat Ce wears many hats and works out regularly to stay fit

I keep physically strong, which leads me to feeling mentally strong, this also guarantees a good night sleep — which is also key.

The simple basic fundamentals of taking care of ourselves is my mantra, this will lead to success. I believe.”

Something tells me Cat Ce is right!

To catch Cat Ce performing check out her upcoming shows in Los Angeles Hollywood Improv Jan 15th and 19th, the Comedy Store Jan 15th and Jimmy Kimmel’s Comedy Club in Las Vegas on Jan 20th!

 

Wine Lovers: Niagara Wine Country Icewine Season January 12 through 28

Wine Lovers Brace For The Chill and Thrill of Niagara Icewine Season

January temperatures may be cold, but excitement is heating up across Niagara as the region prepares to celebrate its annual Icewine harvest season in style.

From January 12 through 28, Niagara wine country raises a glass to Canada’s liquid gold with glitzy galas, a wine and culinary touring program at 32 different wineries, a sparkling Niagara-on-the-Lake street festival, and more.

Niagara Icewine Festival fun kicks off on Friday January 12

Niagara Icewine Festival fun kicks off on Friday, January 12, with the return of the popular Discovery Pass Touring Program, sponsored by CAA Travel.

Niagara Wine Country Icewine Season

For one low price, passport holders can visit their choice of three or six Niagara wineries on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays in January to enjoy delicious wine and food pairings that simply can’t be found anywhere else on the planet. A new optional shuttle service offered this year makes it easier than ever for wine lovers to spend a January day sipping and savouring their way around Niagara wine country.

This year’s 32 winery partners are providing Discovery Pass guests with an extensive range of choices, including red wine, white wine and sparkling wines, Icewines, and non-alcoholic beverages, as well as vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, and dairy-free food pairings. Purchase Discovery Pass Touring Passports.

Wine lovers looking for an experience that embraces Icewine’s luxurious nature won’t want to miss the all-inclusive Cool As Ice Gala at the Niagara Parks Power Station on January 13. Presented by Fallsview Casino Resort, the dazzling evening event will showcase twenty-five of Niagara’s top wineries as they pour a diverse array of fine wines, cocktails, and mocktails.

Eight of wine country’s most buzzed-about restaurants will showcase their skills through bold culinary experiences that will include everything from Indian street food to a decadent oyster bar and Icewine-kissed culinary delights like smoked salmon, pork belly, and wood-fired mushrooms. As Cool As Ice Gala guests savour these flavours, they will enjoy exclusive access to the Niagara Parks Power Station, which will ignite additional Icewine excitement with live music, art installations, show-stopping circus-style performances, and the opportunity to descend 180 feet in a glass-panelled elevator and walk a 2,200-foot-long tunnel for the ultimate sub-zero selfie at the edge of Niagara Falls. Browse the Cool As Ice Gala food pairings.

Last year’s Cool As Ice Gala guests were so wowed by the wine, food, and fun at the Niagara Park Power Station that ticket sales for this year’s event have been brisk. Cool As Ice Gala Tickets are already 85% sold, so those wanting to secure a spot on the guest list for January 13 should act quickly to avoid disappointment. Purchase Cool As Ice Gala tickets.

According to Niagara Wine Festival Executive Director Dorian Anderson, “There is no such thing as post-holiday hibernation in Niagara wine country! With 32 winery partners, three weekends of Discovery Pass touring and one unforgettable Cool As Ice Gala, the Niagara Icewine Festival offers wine lovers countless ways to experience the excitement of the Icewine harvest.”

The Niagara Icewine Festival

The Niagara Icewine Festival is part of the Niagara Grape & Wine Festival and takes place January 12 through 28 across Niagara. This year’s Niagara Icewine Festival includes a weekend Discovery Pass self-guided touring program, the Cool As Ice immersive experience on January 13 and the Niagara-on-the-Lake Icewine Festival on January 13, 14, 20, 21, 26, 27 and 28. The Niagara Grape and Wine Festival is celebrating its 74th year with support from generous sponsors, including VQA Wines of Ontario, the Wine Marketing Association of Ontario, The Grape Growers of Ontario, the City of St. Catharines, Fallsview Casino Resort, Niagara Falls Tourism, Niagara College, CAA Travel, The Province of Ontario and the Tourism Partnership of Niagara.

 

This Holiday Fresh Victor brings Flavor to your Organic Favorite Cocktails and Mocktails

Holidays 2023: Fresh Victor Puts the the drinker in charge with Fresh, Organic and Full Flavor Mixers.

Fresh Victor is how you make fast, delicious craft cocktails and amazing mocktails — Every. Single. Time. 

Fresh Victor is a line of premium mixers for consistently delicious and efficient cocktails (and mocktails too.)

H. Ehrmann knows his cocktails

H. Ehrmann is a bartender and drinks industry consultant who runs Elixir, one of the most influential bars in San Francisco.  In the industry for 35 years, owned a bar for 20 years. 

Recently he hosted a virtual mixer walking us through several cocktails using Fresh Victor as the mixer: from non-alcoholic, to low alc, to full alcoholic.

Cold-pressed juice-based cocktail mixers. They have added sugar, either organic cane sugar or agave nectar used to balance out citrus levels to hit the intended brix level for most cocktails.

Holidays 2023: Fresh Victor creates Fast, Delicious Craft Cocktails

For example, with the Lemon Sour, the base is known as a pretty simple flavor profile.  You can add another layer of flavor complexity (like a liqueur).  But the Fresh Victor mixer was designed to have more depth, a bit more bitterness to handle any additional sweetness added. 

Fresh Victor +1 or +2

All of the Fresh Victor bottles are designed to make delicious cocktails, but simply and easier.  How?  The amount of cocktails that can be made by adding just 1 or 2 ingredients plus the Fresh Victor mixer.

+1 is agave and tequila.  Lemon Sour and whiskey. 

+2 might be carbonation, frothing, aromatics, like:  tonic, soda water, champagne, egg white, bitters.

Fresh Victor creates Fast, Delicious Craft Cocktails

 

“2-3 pours and a lot of flavor”

H. Ehrmann

With those 3 elements and Fresh Victor’s 9 flavors, you can end up with dozens of drinks.  From classics, to a spin-off of a classics (including mocktails).

Mixing ratios: 1: 1 and 2: 1.  

1 1 / 2  oz of spirit to 2 ounces of mixer

2 oz of spirit to 2 ounces of mixer

If the drinker likes the taste of the alcohol, they want that taste to “punch” through, then then 2:2 is better for them.  If they want the flavor sweeter, iding behind the mixer, 2:1 is the answer for them.

Fresh Victor is a mixer, not a juice.  So it’s meant to take on dilution as you build your cocktail. Right out of the bottle, it’s a bit more concentrated, more dense.  Meant to be stirred, shaken, reduced down without watering down the flavor.   It can dilute 15-20% without losing quality. 

Using Fresh Victor, you can create a 32 oz, 64 oz or a gallon punch bowl for a holiday party in less than 5 minutes.  And it’s not a simple, lame flavor.  It’s complex.

Orchard Bliss Royale

Non-alcoholic.  When you add Champagne or Sparkling, it’s called “Royale” and today’s drink is adding Sparkling Cider.  

4 oz sparkling cider

2 oz Fresh Victor (Three Citrus and Mint Leaf)

Garnish with dehydrated apple slices

The nose is refreshing. Vibrant apple.  Effervescent on the palate, from the Sparkling. A balance of lemon, lime, orange.  Plump, but not overwhelming.  Mint notes that bring a tertiary element.

Suggestions include playing with adding a shot of vodka, rum or tequila, any of which would work well.

Fresh Victor mixers give a fruit-forward base that makes it easy to play and experiment with.

Winter Spice Tonic

“When mixed well, Gin impacts the overall character of your drink, but doesn’t get in your face”.

1 oz Tanqueray london dry gin

1 Oz Fresh Victor (Cactus Pomegranate)

4 oz Fever Tree Tonic

Aromatic bitters

Garnish with vanilla bean, All-spice berries, Dehydrated Lemon

The nose is immediately the charming, floral aromatics you’d expect from the gin.  Then slowly the baking spices express themselves.  Deep character layers and complexity.  A gush of tonic, then lingering vanilla and lemon.  

Definitely a gin drink for someone who’s not a gin fan as it showcases the best of gin without being overwhelming.

H. Ehrmann with the Fresh Victor Winter Spice Tonic

H. Ehrmann with the Fresh Victor Winter Spice Tonic

Love a standard gin drink?  Try Gin and Tonic with Fresh Victor’s Cucumber and Lime!

H. Ehrmann feels one the the reasons Fresh Victor is so popular is because people want to be able to make easy drinks at home that still have amazing flavor.

“I’ve taught cocktail classes for over ten years.  As much as students love it and geek out over cocktail details at the bar.  When they get home to their kitchen, they still prefer to have something easy.  That’s a huge part of when Fresh Victor is.”

One of the keys to Fresh Victor is adaptability.  The drinks are scalable and easy to experiment with.  Having more guests than expected?  Want stronger drinks?  No alc of low-alc drinks?

“The 2 things that show us down when drinking cocktails, alcoholic strength and bitterness.  Those are things that help us drag a cocktail out 10-20 minutes. Like, intentional speed bumps to keep you from drinking too fast.  So removing the alcohol from a recipe, removes that speed bump.  Adding more bitters, adds it back.  It helps a non-alco drink feel more like a cocktail.”

How did Fresh Victor launch and grow during the struggles of the pandemic?  Luck, hardwork and finding an audience that wants flavor.  H. Ehrmann explains: 

“Just before Covid, we decided to focus Fresh Victor on bars and restaurants.  So Covid hits.  We decided to re-package into a 16 oz bottle.  Within 6 weeks we had these bottles available in 7 states direct to consumer. Within 2 months, we had 48 states direct to consumer.  I shifted to selling cocktail kits from home and Fresh Victor was the perfect partner for me.  Take a liter of tequila and a 64 oz bottle of Mexican lime and agave, you can make 32 margaritas.  I was selling those kits like crazy.  People were re-ordering every other day.”

Figtorious Celebrations

2 oz of Fresh Victor (grapefruit and sea salt)

2 oz VSOP brandy

1 / 2 oz fig syrup

Try thinking of Fresh Victor less as a mixer or a juice and more as an ingredient.  Think of it as an ingredient where you can use as much or as little as you want to make a more complex drink.

Explore from a culinary point of view.  What other flavors mix?

Fresh Victor is all about experimenting.  Trying different flavors.  Adding spirits, garnishes and mixers that might not be traditional.

“All the ways you can use Fresh Vector.  I went through the lexicon of cocktails.  What can I make with lemon sour?  What can I make with Mexican Agave? Then I’d look at more unique flavor profile and ask myself what can I make with that?”

H. Ehrmann with the Fresh Victor Figtorious Celebrations

H. Ehrmann with the Fresh Victor Figtorious Celebrations

 

Fresh Victor Holidays Flavors

H. Ehrmann suggests a twist this cold, holiday season.  Think like a Hot Toddy. Simply warm up your Whiskey Sour, Lemon Drop, even your sangria.  Anything that would normally go with ice, this time heat it up warm and toasty.

 

Winner! Hank’s & Executive Chef Isaias Peña as Second Consecutive Win for “BEST BURGER”

Winner! Hank’s & Executive Chef Isaias Peña as Second Consecutive Win for “BEST BURGER”

Hank’s & Executive Chef Isaias Peña Celebrate Second Consecutive Win as “BEST BURGER” in Los Angeles Times’ “Best of the Southland 2023!

In a delectable triumph of culinary excellence, Hank’s Restaurant at Palisades Village has clinched the coveted title of “BEST BURGER” in the Los Angeles Times’ “Best of the Southland 2023” Readers’ Choice Poll for the second year in a row.

The man behind this phenomenal burger, Executive Chef Isaias Peña, and his team at Hank’s have reason to celebrate, and it’s a victory well-deserved!

Executive Chef Isaias Peña - Photos Courtesy of Hank’s

Executive Chef Isaias Peña – Photos Courtesy of Hank’s

Hank’s, named in honor of Owner Rick Caruso’s father Hank is located at Palisades Village in the Pacific Palisades and was created to offer guests elevated American classics, handcrafted cocktails, draft and bottle craft beers and premium wines served by Coravin offering something for everyone.

Photos Courtesy of Hank’s

Photos Courtesy of Hank’s

Executive Chef Isaiah Peña’s Hank’s Single and Double Diamond Burger is a perfect elevated beef blend of wagyu, brisket and short rib accompanied with Tillamook cheddar, caramelized onions, butter lettuce, Roma tomatoes and Hank’s special sauce on potato bun. To celebrate this exciting honor Chef Peña will be offering a Hank’s “BEST BURGER” Special which will include a Hank’s Single or Double Diamond Burger, Choice of Side (Fries, Onion Rings, or Salad), and Beverage (Wine, Draft Beer, or Non-Alcoholic Drink) for $25.00 per person all throughout the month of November 2023.

“The Hank’s Team and I are honored to receive this award for the 2nd year in a row and many, many thanks to everyone that voted,” says Peña.

“We take great pride in the making of our burgers at Hank’s, and we also have a new menu that has something for everyone featuring steaks, seafood, and a selection of small and shared plates, along with our new cocktail list, so we invite you all to come enjoy!”

Hank’s is open every Monday through Thursday from 11:30 am to 9:00 pm, every Friday from 11:30 am to 10:00 pm, every Saturday from 9:00 am to 10:00 pm, and every Sunday from 9:00 am to 9:00 pm. For more information about Hank’s or to make reservations, please call 424.363.7166 directly or visit www.HanksPalisades.com.

Follow Hank’s on Social Media:

Follow Hank’s on Facebook @HanksPalisades and Instagram @hankspalisades

Hank’s

1033 N. Swarthmore Avenue
Pacific Palisades, CA 90722
T: 424.363.7166

 

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