The Iconic Ritz-Carlton Bacara Resort Hosts Angel Oak Wine Pairing Dinner April 19.
The Ritz-Carlton Bacara, Santa Barbara–the premier oceanfront resort along the Gaviota Coast–welcomes Babcock Winery & Vineyards to its intimate Angel Oak Wine Cellar for a four-course pairing menu in collaboration with Angel Oak chef Josh Kellim.
The special night is the second of a new monthly wine pairing dinner series to take place at The Ritz-Carlton Bacara.
The evening’s savory menu begins with a caviar course featuring an onion creme-fraiche-topped duck fat tater tot, followed by a second course of black truffle quail eggs, then a grilled guinea hen with white asparagus and morel mushrooms.
The evening concludes with a slow cooked lamb loin and rack, paired with a smoked date puree, lemon yogurt, fresh hummus and spiced lamb jus. Each flavor presented is carefully chosen to bring forth the tasting notes of each Babcock wine poured. Babcock Winery & Vineyards is best-known for its Estate Grown versions of Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris, and Chenin Blanc.. The pairing menu is matched with the moody environment of the private wine cellar room below Angel Oak–The Ritz-Carlton Bacara’s fine dining restaurant.
The Angel Oak x Babcock Winery & Vineyards Dinner starts at 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday, April 19th. Seats are $225 per person excluding tax and gratuity charge.
Reservations can be made online here.
The Ritz-Carlton Bacara, Santa Barbara
Set against a backdrop of golden beaches and lush mountains, The Ritz-Carlton Bacara, Santa Barbara embodies the charm, beauty, and energy of the Mediterranean in the heart of Santa Barbara. The iconic Central California resort spans 78 acres and features 358 guest rooms and suites, two natural beaches, lush gardens, and a collection of amenities including: a 42,000 square-foot spa and wellness center; three salt-water infinity pools; six culinary venues including the signature Angel Oak, housing the resort’s 12,000-bottle wine collection; robust activities program for guests of all ages; and 70,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor meeting and event space. The property is distinctly nestled between the Pacific Ocean and the Santa Ynez Mountains, offering easy access to the region’s best vineyards, and is just minutes from the center of charming and historic Santa Barbara.
The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, LLC
The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C., of Bethesda, MD, part of Marriott International, Inc., currently operates more than 100 hotels in 32 countries and territories. For more information or reservations, visit the company web site at www.ritzcarlton.com, for the latest company updates, visit news.marriott.com and to join the live conversation, use #RCMemories and follow along on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ:MAR). The Ritz-Carlton is proud to participate in Marriott Bonvoy, the global travel program from Marriott International. The program offers members an extraordinary portfolio of global brands, exclusive experiences on Marriott Bonvoy Moments and unparalleled benefits including free nights and Elite status recognition. To enroll for free or for more information about the program, visit MarriottBonvoy.marriott.com.
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LA Shorts: Filmmaker Erin Gavin Brings Twists, Turns and Deep Love to Video Games with “Gaming For Love” — See it July 22
LA Shorts: Filmmaker Erin Gavin explores Love and Video Games with “Gaming For Love” — See it July 22
“Gaming for Love” is a poignant narrative inspired by true events which follows the journey of Maisie, a young girl battling cancer, as she finds solace and strength in the world of online gaming.
“Gaming For Love” screens at LA Shorts Monday July 22.
Erin Gavin’s career has spanned over motion pictures, television series, theatrical
productions, print and live-action commercials.
Erin’s other film credits include “Dread”, “The Last Investigation”, “Junk,” and most recently played the Iconic star Marilyn Monroe in a hit stage production.
Erin signed with Serdica Record (Classical contemporary) label and her first song ‘I’m through with love’ has been a global success.
![Erin Gavin Filmmaker](https://dailyovation.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Screenshot-2024-07-22-at-8.39.28%E2%80%AFAM-754x1024.png)
“Gaming for Love” Filmmaker Erin Gavin
Through themes of love, sacrifice, and the power of human connection, “Gaming for Love” beautifully illustrates the profound influence of gaming in Maisie’s life and the bonds forged beyond the confines of the digital realm.
Today’s conversation with Erin Gavin from “Gaming For Love” has been edited for length and clarity. For the full, un-edited conversation, visit our YouTube channel here.
Joe Winger:
We are back today with Erin Gavin, the writer, producer, and director of short film Gaming for Love. Erin, thanks for joining us today.
Erin Gavin:
Thanks for having me. This is brilliant, Joe. Thank you. Appreciate it.
Joe Winger:
My pleasure. I’m looking forward to learning more about you and sharing your message with the audience today.
You direct, you produced, you wrote this; and it’s a very powerful short film Gaming for Love. What’s the most important message you want to share with our audience today?
Erin Gavin:
So for me, the reason I wanted to tell this story is because it’s loosely based on true events. I felt this wave of emotion come over me when I was reading this article and I thought, what an amazing, powerful real loving story.
I just felt compelled to tell it.
From that thought to where we are today feels absolutely incredible. So I’m very grateful.
Joe Winger:
You’ve done a lot of prolific work, both in front of the camera and behind the camera. On stage, on screen, with music.
What inspired you to choose this project next for you?
Erin Gavin:
Other filmmakers will probably relate to this. But it just felt right. There was no part of me that was hesitant not tell this story. Every part of me just said that’s it. This is the story. This is what I’m doing. It’s happening. That was really it. There was no ifs, and’s, but’s, maybe’s about it.
Joe Winger:
That’s very courageous. We often hear so much glamour about Hollywood. But behind the scenes, the production itself isn’t always so easy.
So without giving away any plots or any spoilers, what was one of the biggest challenges of your production? And how did you solve that challenge?
Erin Gavin:
One was the budget.
So in order to make a movie, as we know, we need money. So I literally I thought, I need to ask for help here, which is something I’m not very good at doing in terms of asking people to put together a GoFundMe and let’s do this.
That was a challenge for me to swallow my pride and be like I need to help.
It was amazing how many people came together and just wanted to help. It honestly made me well up and just feel so appreciative of everybody and everyone’s support.
The other challenge was to get crew together. So I was really lucky. I partnered with a company called Up Next studios.
We had a lot of help. People were just coming on board and helping, but naturally, sometimes people fall off and then you have to get somebody else in. That can be challenging in the final days, when someone drops out two days, I didn’t have too much of that, but it worked out in the end and who was meant to be on the movie was on the movie.
Joe Winger:
That’s a great way of thinking about it. Just to detail that out a little bit more, where, location-wise, where on the globe were you shooting?
Erin Gavin:
It was all shot in Scotland. I wrote it the second week in January, and we had the first cut by end of February.
So it was really rushed, really quick and really intense. We had to find locations really quick and we had to really narrow down those locations. I was in Scotland, so it made sense to just let’s roll. I was really lucky with the locations. I had friends just pull in together and be like, You can shoot here.”
So it all worked out really well.
Joe Winger:
How many days of production?
Erin Gavin:
Three days.
Joe Winger:
Three days in Scotland. You shot about a month and a half after you wrote it, is that more or less right?
Erin Gavin:
After I wrote it, I had about 3-4 weeks to pull all the crew together, locations together, everything together.
It was intense.
Then three days of shooting and then editing. Obviously the final cuts and then putting the music together.
But I’m really thankful for the team. Without the team, this would not be possible, and everybody’s support, it wouldn’t be possible.
Joe Winger:
Just going a little deeper on what you just said a second ago, two things to think about.
Number one, a lot of the people that are watching this interview right now have never been on a production set. The closest they’ve been is the movie theater.
Second thing is how many people out there, they’ve written something. But they may not have the courage or the audacity to actually get out there and shoot it, or as you brought up, to go out there and raise money because it costs money to do these things.
Do you have any advice or inspiration for someone out there who wants to be doing what you just accomplished, and they’re scared, hesitant, or nervously excited?
Erin Gavin:
I think you have to be very vulnerable. You have to put ego aside and let people read your script, polish it, get advice on it, make sure it’s as solid as it can be.
That’s hard to do when you pour your heart into this piece and you obviously this piece of paper has everything that you’ve just poured out onto it.
Then to give that [heartfelt script] to someone to be super critical is really hard, but that’s the first step and make sure it’s as good as it can be.
I would say community is key.
So perhaps maybe look at how you can narrow it down budget wise. So that’s your locations. Everything that costs money. And ask for help. Build that community. G to your local drama schools, go to your local film schools.
People want to film. People in the creative world, they want to be doing something.
So people do want to help. That’s what I would say, [at] home and in your community, ask for help, get the script solid. That would be the first two key things to be doing.
Joe Winger:
Good advice.
The title Gaming for Love, gaming is a big theme of the story.
I’d love to believe everybody in the world knows what gaming means. But just in case, can you tell us what gaming means?
What message do you hope the gaming community receives when they see the short film?
Erin Gavin:
We’re talking about computer gaming and [my short film] doesn’t shine it in a negative light.
I actually spoke to somebody last night who’s in the gaming world, for all the major companies and does computer programming in terms of the creative side of things. He said, they would love this story because it shows that this can help people in certain ways. It also has a community to it as well. Like most things in life have some negatives and some positives and everybody has their own opinion, right?
But for this shines it in a light that is true in terms of belonging to this story and how it helps someone.
Joe Winger:
That’s beautiful.
Erin Gavin:
Yeah, certainly this one has a twist at the end.
So I hope the viewers get to watch it and they’ll see exactly what I mean.
I also created a song about gaming which is also very true. A lot of gamers who have heard the song [feel] it’s so relatable.
Joe Winger:
Let’s talk about the cast. The performances are subtle and thoughtful and deep. I was surprised how much I was feeling in such a short period of time.
How did you find your cast? Any favorite moment that really stands out with you?
Erin Gavin:
I love that you felt that. We were really lucky because we just gelled and it made sense and it worked and not a lot of movies have that luck.
I reached out to a Gent who owns a theater school in Scotland. I said I need a young girl for one of the leads.
He happened to also have a Gent who teaches at the school who would’ve been the perfect, and he’d also been in like big shows like Outlander and whatnot.
So I thought, okay, he can act. I checked him out. He’s good. And she was great. And that all came from a gent called Rhys Donnelly who helped me with the casting. And also I reached out to a friend of mine who plays one of the other parts. Who I know is a great actor, Paul Donnelly, and he’s been in Outlander and a bunch of stuff.
So it, again, it was just a community aspect. It’s Oh, who knows who, and who can, how can I connect this and make this all work? And that’s how it happened.
Joe Winger:
What I love about what you just said is we are talking about the plot and the story and the gaming community earlier. You’re talking about the community behind the scenes of production.
I feel like whether it’s deliberate or not. You just found all these different communities to work together to highlight other communities, really a community effort in front of the scene, behind the scenes, in the story, all over the place.
Joe Winger:
Our audience knows we talk usually with chefs and winemakers and mixologists.
We’re talking about food and drink and travel. This topic is a little bit not what we usually talk about, but if you don’t mind, can we talk about food and flavor for a minute with you? Is that okay?
Erin Gavin:
Sure. All right.
Joe Winger:
You probably eat very healthy is my guess, but I could be wrong.
But when you’re indulgent, When you’re looking for flavor. What’s your favorite or what’s it? What’s a good guilty pleasure for you or what’s one of your favorite food and drink pairings?
Erin Gavin:
Being from Scotland, right? I was, Oh, have you tried haggis? Yeah, of course I tried haggis, but haggis is Most things in life, if it’s made well and it’s done it’s really good.
But it can also be the opposite, but I have to say, I do actually love haggis. But now I don’t really eat meat so much. But they do a really good like vegetarian option these days. So when I’m home, especially around Christmas time that would be my sort of go to but to pair with it, I’m going to be really sad here.
I like to drink milk with it. Most people like, yeah, this wine from this region. I’m like, nope, just milk. But but that’s when I go to at home. So when I’m in LA I actually, we like in LA, we have the best sushi. most extending sushi [00:13:00] restaurants. So sushi would be my go to when I’m in LA and definitely sake.
Joe Winger:
What’s the taste profile of haggis? What’s what’s it similar to?
What’s the aroma? What are we tasting? Will you take a bite?
Erin Gavin:
There’s another drink in Scotland. Sometimes I like to have Irn Bru with haggis. It sounds disgusting to a lot of people, but I like it. So it’s just like Irn Bro and haggis.
It’s an acquired taste.
Joe Winger:
Erin, what’s the best way to follow you and learn more about the short film, whether it’s a website, social media, something else, what’s the best way to follow your film festival journey and just what you’re up to with you yourself.
Erin Gavin:
Erin Gavin:
Oh, I appreciate that. On most of the social medias Erin Gavin Artist, like Instagram, Twitter and Facebook, TikTok.
Gaming For Love has its own pages on Facebook and Instagram.
It’s screening 22nd of July at 1pm at LA Shorts in Los Angeles.
Jamie Lee Curtis, Zoe Saldana, Thomasin McKenzie: Annual Oscar-Qualifying HollyShorts Film Festival celebrates their 20th anniversary
Zoe Saldana, Thomasin McKenzie, Jamie Lee Curtis: Annual Oscar-Qualifying® HollyShorts Film Festival celebrates their 20th anniversary
The Oscar® Qualifying HOLLYSHORTS FILM FESTIVAL returns for its much-anticipated 20th edition from August 8-18, 2024.
From over 6000 entries, over 400 films form this year’s anniversary program.
This Friday, July 12, HollyShorts will share the entire 2024 selection on YouTube.
Last year, the Academy® granted the festival their 4th OSCAR®-qualifying award for Documentary Short Film, this accolade joined their other three top awards, Best Short Film Grand Prize, Best Short Animation and Best Short Live Action. The winners of these awards will be eligible for consideration for a 2025 Academy® Award.
HollyShorts has also launched an inaugural Sports category with NBA Champion, Metta World Peace as the head judge, he is also a producer of a film to be premiered on opening night called, “With Love Charlie”. The festival’s sports category is led by producer Jessica Badawi and will include work from former NBA player and champion Matt Barnes premiering his documentary “Black Mark”, an episode from the NFL’s Seattle Seahawks series “The Sound of the Seahawks”, “The Syd & TP Show” with WNBA stars Theresa Plaisance and Sydney Colson, the show is produced exclusively by TOGETHXR, a media and commerce company founded by four of the world’s greatest athletes Alex Morgan, Chloe Sim, Simone Manuel and Sue Bidr. Also joining this new category will be Red Bull Media House’s “Life of Kai” featuring ESPY award winner Kai Lenny and “Race and Surf” from Selema Masakela, NBA’s Memphis Grizzlies “Marc Gasol: Memphis Made”, “ESPN 30 for 30” and two documentaries from the Italian powerhouse soccer team AC Milan including “Roots-Bennacer”.
Some of the documentary short films selected for the 20th edition include “Alok” directed by Alex Hedison and executive produced by Jodie Foster, “The Final Copy of Ilon Specht” directed by two-time Academy® Award winner Ben Proudfoot, Benjamin Alfonsi’s “Whitney Houston in Focus”, John Beder’s “How to Sue the Klan” and “XCLD: The Story of Cancel Culture” directed by Ferne Pearlstein and produced by Trevor Noah.
The star-studded live-action short film entries include “How Can I Help You” directed by Eliza Scanlen and starring Thomasin McKenzie, Marco Perego’s “Dovecote” with Zoe Saldana, “Dammi” starring Riz Ahmed and Isabelle Adjani, Ken Cheng’s “Summons” starring Jimmy O. Yang and Alexandra Shipp, “Midnight” from legendary Japanese director Takashi Miike, Louisa Connolly-Burnham’s “Sister Wives” featuring BAFTA Rising Star Award winner Mia McKenna-Bruce, “Hearts of Stone” with Noomi Rapace and Jessica Barden, “French” directed by Dylan Joseph and produced by OSCAR® nominee Kobi Mizrahi, “Vlog” starring and directed by Yvonne Strahovski in her directorial debut, “Edge of Space” directed by OSCAR® nominee Jean de Meuron, Russell Goldman’s “Burn Out” produced by Academy® Award winner Jamie Lee Curtis, “Fall Risk” featuring Victoria Pedretti, directed by Alex Martini, and produced by Bella Thorne, and Jim Cummings’ “Pretty Sad”, Yasmin Afifi’s BAFTA winning JELLYFISH AND LOBSTER and Tom Stuart’s GOOD BOY starring Ben Whishaw also join this fantastic lineup.
Among the animated short film entries are Nadia Hallgren and Jamie-James Medina’s “The Brown Dog” with voice performances by Steve Buscemi and the late Michael K. Williams, Paul Shammasian’s “An Angel on Oxford Street” narrated by Christopher Eccleston, “Play Again” directed by Emmy-nominated filmmaker Zen Pace, voiced by Benjamin Bratt and Eric Briche’s “Volcelest”.
Notable music videos include Shania Twain’s “Giddy Up!” and Nikki Lorenzo’s “Lista, directed by Bianca Poletti and starring Academy® Award nominee John Hawkes.
Additional noteworthy selections include Bella Thorne’s “Unsettled” featuring Chris Zylka, Eli Newman’s “Concrete” starring Ed Harris and Sophia Ali, Mackenzie Davis’ directorial debut “Woaca”, “If Not Now, When?” starring Kate Dickie, Hanna Gray Organschi’s “Merci, Poppy” with Victoria Pedretti, Danielle Baynes’ “The Dog” starring Kate Walsh, Francesca Scorsese’s “Fish Out of Water”, Richie Keen’s “The Grievance” with Rosie O’Donnell and Kevin Pollack, Mika Simmons’ “My Week with Maisy” starring Joanna Lumley, Annie Girard’s “One in the Chamber” starring Wilson Bethel, Hector Prats’ “Heaven is Nobody’s” starring Roger Guenveur Smith, Michael Perez-Lindsey’s “Will I See You Again?” featuring Richard Lawson, Blake Winston Rice’s “Tea”, co-directors Brit Crawshaw and Josh Hayward’s “Female Captive” starring Pauline Chalamet, Academy Award winner’s Chris Overton and Rachel Shenton’s Slick Films selected shorts include Rhys Chapman’s “Ryan Can’t Read” and Elizabeth Peace’s “The Golden Boy”, Benjamin Verrall’s “Shouting at the Sea” starring Harry Michell, Maia Scalia’s “His Mother”, Ethan Kuperberg’s “Paper Towels” starring Josh Brener, and “Swollen” directed by Roxy Sorkin.
HollyShorts is devoted to showcasing the best and brightest short films from around the globe, advancing the careers of filmmakers through screenings, networking events, and various panels and forums. The festival showcases the top short films produced in 40 minutes or less.
To view the full list of official selections visit http://www.hollyshorts.com
This year’s hybrid celebration of short films will take place in person, with screenings at the world-renowned TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood and virtually through the official festival streaming platform, BITPIX.
HollyShorts screenings will take place from August 8-18th at TCL Chinese Theatres, 6801 Hollywood Blvd., 3rd Level, Hollywood, CA, 90028, followed by the annual awards gala on August 18th.
For additional information and tickets visit https://hollyshorts2024.eventive.org/passes/buy
Secret of Caesar salad: John Robert Sutton Reveals on “Foods That Matter” Podcast
Secret of Caesar salad: John Robert Sutton Reveals on “Foods That Matter” Podcast
The Caesar salad was NOT invented in Italy!
The iconic dish, celebrating its 100th birthday this year, has roots in Tijuana, Mexico.
![Foods That Matter John Robert Sutton](https://dailyovation.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Screenshot-2024-07-15-at-12.09.06 PM-1024x1024.png)
Foods ThatMatter John Robert Sutton
To celebrate, podcast host of CurtCo Media’s Foods That Matter and seasoned food archaeologist John Robert Sutton joined Juan José “Tana” Plascencia, the owner of Caesar’s Restaurant – home of the first Caesar salad – in person.
To eat some original recipe salad and chat about how, why, where, and by whom the dish came to be one of the most popular menu items in the US.
John and Tana’s intriguing conversation, starting with the recipe’s origins and ending with its worldwide prominence, is available on Foods That Matter on all major podcast platforms. You get a firsthand look at the backstory of Caesar salad, delving into all the rich flavors and history that made it such an important influence in the dining world.
Near or visiting Tijuana?
Join Tana at the centennial celebration at Caesar’s Restaurant on July 7, 2024. Plus, if you tell Tana that you listened to this episode of Foods That Matter – Celebrating 100 Years of Caesar Salad with the Origin Story that Starts in Tijuana, Mexico – he will give you the authentic recipe to take home!
About Foods That Matter:
Come along for a culinary thrill as Foods That Matter transports foodies to corners of the world through stories of adventure with food archeologist John Robert Sutton, also known as ‘The Indiana Jones of Food.’
John unlocks the secrets to the globe’s extraordinary cuisines, as he’s been doing throughout his travels in over 120 countries while enriching top grocery stores and Michelin-starred chefs with the finest ingredients and powering them with quality products.
The presenting sponsor of Foods That Matter is Watkins, award-winning extracts, spices & herbs, seasoning blends, grilling rubs & marinades, artificial dye-free baking decorations, and more crafted in the USA since 1868. The show is available on podcast platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Spotify, YouTube and Goodpods.
About CurtCo Media:
CurtCo Media – with its talented producers and creative team – provides listeners with quality podcasts, featuring authoritative hosts, distinguished guests, and inspiring storytellers. The company presents many nationally-recognized series, covering topics such as scripted sci-fi (SOLAR), luxury (Cars That Matter, Travel That Matters, Wines That Matter) and others.
About the Author
Joe Wehinger (nicknamed Joe Winger) has written for over 20 years about the business of lifestyle and entertainment. Joe is an entertainment producer, media entrepreneur, public speaker, and C-level consultant who owns businesses in entertainment, lifestyle, tourism and publishing. He is an award-winning filmmaker, published author, member of the Directors Guild of America, International Food Travel Wine Authors Association, WSET Level 2 Wine student, WSET Level 2 Cocktail student, member of the LA Wine Writers. Email to: Joe@FlavRReport.comYou Might also like
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Dita Von Teese Brings the world’s biggest burlesque show, ‘Glamonatrix’ to Los Angeles in 2023
Dita Von Teese announced that she will be bringing the world’s biggest burlesque show, ‘Glamonatrix’ to North America next year.
Produced by Live Nation, the 21-date tour kicks off on January 7th, 2023, in Seattle, WA at the Paramount Theatre, making stops across North America in Los Angeles, San Francisco, New Orleans, New York, and more along with a special performance on Valentine’s Day at The Chicago Theatre.
The tour hits three cities in Texas, plus Dita’s home state of Michigan, with a finale show in Riverside, CA at the Fox Performing Arts Center on February 24th.
Dita’s burlesque show continues to break records as the biggest and most lavish burlesque show in history.
Dita Von Teese is About Confidence
Hot on the heels of her 41-show tour overseas in historic theaters, including The London Palladium, Opera Garnier Monte Carlo, Folies Bergère and Vienna’s Burgtheatre, Dita is thrilled to bring the Glamonatrix burlesque revue to cities across the United States and Canada.
The Glamonatrix Tour is produced and directed by Dita Von Teese
and sponsored by Sweet Gwendoline French Gin and Lashify.com, inventor of DIY Lash extensions.
“For me, burlesque has always been about finding my own confidence,
liberating the taboo of striptease with fantastical stripscapes,
while encouraging others to indulge in and enjoy their own sensuality.
Glamour is the art of creating mystery and allure,
and the new “Glamonatrix” show speaks to unapologetic sensual power with a fun fetishistic twist.”
says Von Teese.
She continues, “I feel so fortunate that burlesque has come to symbolize a celebration of beauty and sensuality in many forms, a place where diversified icons take the stage and inspire others. I’m proud to be a part of the modern burlesque movement and I’m grateful to have the chance to tour with performers who change people’s minds about striptease.”
TICKETS: Tickets go on sale to the general public starting Friday, September 16th at 10:00 AM Local Time on Ticketmaster.com.
PRESALE: Citi is the official card of the Glamonatrix Tour. Citi cardmembers will have access to presale tickets beginning Tuesday, September 13 at 11:00 AM ET through Thursday, September 15th at 10:00 PM local time through the Citi Entertainment program. For complete presale details visit www.citientertainment.com.
GLAMONTRIX 2023 TOUR DATES
Sat Jan 07 – Seattle, WA – Paramount Theatre
Tue Jan 10 – Vancouver, BC – Queen Elizabeth Theatre
Fri Jan 13 – San Francisco, CA – Palace of Fine Arts
Sat Jan 14 – San Francisco, CA – Palace of Fine Arts
Sun Jan 15 – San Francisco, CA – Palace of Fine Arts
Tue Jan 17 – Portland, OR – Keller Auditorium
Fri Jan 20 – Dallas, TX – Majestic Theatre
Sun Jan 22 – Austin, TX – Paramount Theatre
Tue Jan 24 – Houston, TX – Bayou Music Center
Fri Jan 27 – New Orleans, LA – Orpheum Theatre
Sun Jan 29 – Atlanta, GA – Tabernacle
Thu Feb 02 – Washington, DC – Warner Theatre
Sat Feb 4 – Toronto, ON – Queen Elizabeth Theatre
Tue Feb 7 – Montreal, QC – Theatre Maisonneuve
Thu Feb 09 – New York City, NY – Beacon Theatre
Sat Feb 11 – Boston, MA – Orpheum Theatre
Tue Feb 14 – Chicago, IL – Chicago Theatre
Thu Feb 16 – Detroit, MI – The Fillmore Detroit
Sat Feb 18 – Louisville, KY – The Louisville Palace
Wed Feb 22 – El Cajon, CA – The Magnolia
Fri Feb 24 – Riverside, CA – Fox Performing Arts CenterGlamonatrix is a full evening of comedy and sophisticated striptease celebrating diverse beauty and individuality. Far from being a typical burlesque show, Dita elevates and modernizes the classic 1940’s variety show in an inspiring and uplifting way. Always ahead of the curve, Dita’s show casting has consistently been inclusive and multi-faceted, showcasing the talents of male, female, and gender-fluid performers from around the world to create a body-positive, celebratory show like no other.
As the consummate performer in modern burlesque, Von Teese’s exhilarating live shows are world-renowned and draw fans from every corner of the globe. With over a million tickets sold, and an unprecedented quality of production in burlesque, it is clear why Von Teese’s self-produced tours are the gold standard of the modern burlesque revival, with devoted fans that include A-list celebrities.
The uber-glamorous variety show presents extravagant new production numbers from Dita and the cast, with costumes created by Jenny Packham, Mister Pearl, Alexis Mabille, Catherine D’Lish and more. Shoe aficionados will delight in the extraordinary bespoke fetish footwear by Christian Louboutin, some of which are currently on display as part of the Louboutin “L’Exhibition(iste)” in Monaco.
The Glamonatrix show showcases the most revered performers in burlesque, including the legendary Dirty Martini. Dita’s dapperVontourage and choreographer Alek Palinski returns to the stage, along with fan-favorite Zelia Rose, one of the lead performers of Hamilton Australia. Dita is also pleased to introduce showstopping newcomer Lana Kai Fox, along with Tosca Rivola and Laszlo Major. Jonny McGovern of “Hey Qween!” and “Go-Go for the Gold” returns as host, due to popular demand from fans around the world. Dita will also be joined in select cities by special guests, including three time ballroom world champion Umario Diallo partnering Dita in a fiery striptease Latin dance.
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Oryx Desert Salt supports !Xaus Lodge community
Oryx Desert Salt supports !Xaus Lodge community
Transfrontier Park Destinations (TFPD) has a long-held vision of partnering with communities to commercialise their tourism assets, create sustainable job opportunities and encourage sustainable economic activity. It is with the invaluable support of homegrown, global companies that it’s been possible to build on this vision.
One of TFPD’s projects is !Xaus Lodge, (pronounced Kaus, with a traditional click) a now thriving 4-star graded and Fair Trade Tourism certified community-based tourism initiative, offering a unique Kalahari desert environment experience for visitors. It has recently championed the !Ae!Hai Kalahari Heritage Park, the ancestral home of the ǂKhomani San and Mier communities, being declared an International Dark Sky Sanctuary.
!Xaus means ‘heart’ in the Nama language and the lodge is built on a dune overlooking a large heart-shaped salt pan. Born out of the !Ae !Hai Kalahari Heritage Park land claim settlement of 2002, it is owned by the local ǂKhomani San and Mier communities.
Glynn O’Leary, co-founder and CEO of TFPD, says: ‘ the ǂKhomani San and Mier communities are some of the most marginalised communities in South Africa so we are always delighted to channel funding from local businesses towards upliftment in these communities.”
He goes on to say, “I am excited that the historic multi-million rand global Rooibos industry has recently made its first annual pay out to the National Khoi and San Council and the South African San Council in a world-first, landmark agreement.” The Rooibos industry has pledged its commitment to environmental stewardship and protection of biodiversity, which is in alignment with TFPD’s own values of responsible environmentalism and tourism.
Similarly, Oryx Desert Salt supports !Xaus Lodge on an ongoing basis. O’Leary says, “We’re proud to be associated with Oryx Desert Salt as they sustainably harvest their sun-dried salt from 300 million-year-old underground rivers in a pristine area in the Kalahari Desert as well as package their product in a sustainable way.
It was their generous sponsorship that enabled our head chef, Lientjie Isaks, to travel to the UK for a once-in-a-lifetime UK- chef exchange experience.” Lientjie was able to bring back her freshly acquired skills to !Xaus Lodge, improving recipes and menus.
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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.
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.
“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
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
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.
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