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Monday, November 28, 2011

11/29/11- Garen Staglin of Staglin Family Vineyard - Great Wine for Great Causes


Join us on Slow Living Radio as we visit with Garen Staglin of Staglin Family Vineyard in Rutherford.  A successful businessman, vintner and devoted family man whose recent honor by the New York Academy of Sciences illustrates the portrait of individual committed to a life of passion for philanthropic endeavors.

Shari & Garen Staglin at Staglin Family Vineyard in Rutherford
Shari and Garen Staglin represent a true family approach to their involvement in the wine industry and their dedication to the Staglin Family Vineyard.  Actively involved for 26 years in the wine industry, the Staglins' motto is "great wine for great causes" and through their operation of their winery, business interests, and support of various charitable causes, they have indeed lived up to that philosophy.  In the last ten years, causes they have chaired or donations from their wines have generated more than $750 million.
Shari and Garen purchased their 64-acre ranch in heart of the Rutherford Bench, in Napa Valley, California in December 1985 with their children, Brandon and Shannon. Their property has recently been proclaimed by wine critic Robert Parker as the elite vineyard in Rutherford, Napa Valley.  It is farmed under a certified organic approach (CCOF) administered by Vineyard Manager David Abreu. The Staglins have continuously upgraded their estate vineyard with narrow spacing, clonal and rootstock diversity, and viticulture practices influenced by winemaker Fredrik Johansson, and consultant Michel Rolland.  They have also installed a 184 KW solar array to power their vineyard, home and winery, further extending their commitment to the environment.  Shannon is the General Manager of the business, and Brandon is Director of Marketing and Website Development.
The Staglin Family Vineyard's 24,000 sq. ft. underground winemaking and barrel storage facility is further evidence of Shari and Garen's total commitment to producing the finest wines possible from their estate with environmental sensitivity.  As one indicator of their wines' reputation for quality, their charitable wine auction lots in the last four years have generated over $9.0 Million in proceeds, more for charity than any other wine lots from any vineyard in the world.  Recent releases have been rated as high as 98 points. Their wines have been served to heads of state:  Queen Elizabeth, President Bill Clinton, President George W. Bush, Prime Minister Tony Blair, President Barack Obama, Chinese President Hu Jin Tao and Japanese Prime Minister Fukuda, as well as at the Bi-Partisan dinner honoring Collin Powell as a part the Inauguration celebration for President Barack Obama.
Shari and Garen are founders of the International Mental Health Research Organization - (http://www.imhro.org), a 501c(3) non-profit organization. During the last sixteen years, the Staglin’s Music Festival for Mental Health (www.music-festival.org) has raised over $135 million for mental health charities and research. This annual event, held at their vineyard, includes an afternoon concert for 450 (past year's performers have included Dwight Yoakum, Pat Benatar, Brian Wilson, Gladys Knight, the Pointer Sisters , and Roberta Flack), and an evening gourmet dinner for 250 by a celebrity chef, with wines donated and poured by many of the nation's and world’s best wineries.  They recently founded Bring Change 2 Mind (“BC2M”) with Actress Glenn Close (www.bringchange2mind.org).  A PSA directed by Ron Howard was produced by BC2M and has been seen by millions.  Most recently they, together with Congressman Patrick Kennedy, have founded the One Mind for Brain Research Campaign (www.1mind4research.org) and have a goal of raising $15 Billion over the next 10 years from public and private sources to dramatically reduce the burden of these illnesses to all Americans.
Garen has been an active venture capital and private equity investor for the last 30 years and currently serves on several public and private company boards.  He currently also serves as a Senior Advisor to two private equity firms.  Garen was honored November 14 at the New York Academy of Sciences 8th Annual Science and the City Gala in New York City. More than 450 global leaders in science, medicine, government, industry and academia attended to honor those who have made significant contributions to Science and the Academy’s initiatives.


His photo appeared in Sunday’s New York Times in the popular “Evening Hours” section photographed by the iconic and indefatigable Bill Cunningham.

A Navy veteran who served during the Vietnam War, Staglin earned an MBA from Stanford University and went on to a life-long career in venture capital and investments.
Now he balances his time between winemaking, investing and philanthropy.
Shari Staglin was a leader in health care management and recruiting for many years before becoming CEO of Staglin Family Vineyard.  She holds a BA from UCLA and an MPA from NYU. 
Shari and Garen met on a blind date at UCLA and recently celebrated their 43rd wedding anniversary.  ###

Saturday, November 19, 2011

11/22/11 - Save Our Surf - Santa Monica Style!

This week, Slow Living Radio heads to Santa Monica, California to discover vital work being done by a dedicated group of celebrities, surfers, businesspeople and citizens who've banded together to support and preserve the waters of our precious California coastline. This past October, Save Our Surf founder, actress Tanna Frederick, spearheaded Project SOS: SURF 24, a celebrity surfathon to benefit Santa Monica Baykeeper, Waves for Water, Inside the Outdoors and Tumelo Home.  So join us as we broadcast live from the iconic Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel to celebrate Santa Monica and learn about how you can help Save Our Surf.  And be sure to visit Save Our Surf at http://projectsaveoursurf.org/ to find out how to get involved today!




PAUL LECLERC
Managing Director
Loews Santa Monica










Paul Leclerc, managing director of Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel, oversees the day-to-day operations and marketing for the 342-room AAA Four Diamond hotel. His position marks an exciting homecoming as Leclerc served as Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel’s executive assistant manager from 2000 to 2003.


Before returning to the West Coast, Leclerc served as general manager of Loews Portofino Bay Hotel at Universal Orlando where he was responsible for all operational aspects of the 750-room hotel, which Loews Hotels and Universal Parks & Resorts developed at the Universal Orlando Resort theme park destination. Under his leadership, the hotel was named one of the “Top 100 Resorts in U.S.” by Conde Nast Traveler and “Top 500 Hotels in the World” by Travel + Leisure.

Active in the community, Leclerc served on the Board of Directors for the Central Florida Hotel and Lodging Association, as well as steering committees for the Orlando Convention & Visitors Bureau. He has received a Certified Hotel Administrator designation from both the American Hotel and Motel Association and the Hotel Association of Canada. 

A native of Winnipeg, Canada, Leclerc’s previous experience includes a diverse number of managerial positions. Prior to joining Loews, he served as director of rooms at the five-diamond Sutton Place Hotel in Vancouver, B.C. He attended Red River College in Winnipeg, and graduated with a bachelor of science degree in business.


About Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel:

Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel is located steps from the famous fitness paths and outdoor parks that run along the Santa Monica shoreline. Hotel features include 342 spacious guestrooms and suites, two restaurants and lounges, immediate proximity to Santa Monica’s premier attractions and front row views of the Pacific Ocean and world-famous Santa Monica Pier. For reservations or more information, please call 800-23-LOEWS or visit http://www.loewshotels.com/santamonica/santamonica.



TANNA FREDERICK
Founder
Save Our Surf


The plot of this movie might be familiar - a struggling young actress from middle America who can't seem to get a break happens to meet a well-connected industry vet who envisions her as a future sensation, and a movie star is born.  While that was the story told anew in Henry Jaglom's feature, the acclaimed “Hollywood Dreams,” it also happens to be pretty close to the real-life story of the film's dynamic and engaging leading lady.  But actress Tanna Frederick, who drew raves for her tour-de-force as aspiring starlet Margie Chisek, is quick to point out that although they have similar stories, she's far from the chaotic and sometimes naive Margie. 

Audiences who have seen “Hollywood Dreams” might be forgiven for making that mistake, as Frederick's uncanny rendering of an ambitious and charming starlet who can barely restrain her fragile emotional state, is a compelling portrait of an actress in the tradition of Bette Davis' performances in “All About Eve”,  “Dangerous” and Gloria Swanson's painfully deluded Norma Desmond in “Sunset Boulevard.” 

Indeed, many critics have harkened back to an earlier era of screen star, noting that Frederick's screen presence recalls a "young Bette Davis on crack" and compares  favorably to legends like Lucille Ball, Judy Garland and Fanny Brice. "Hollywood Dreams is driven by Ms. Frederick's no-boundaries commitment to her broken character," wrote the New York Times, "a performance that is startling as it is touching."  In addition to the critical raves, Frederick also earned Best Actress at WorldFest Houston, Montana International Film Festival, Fargo Film Festival and the Wild Rose Film Festival. The film took Best Picture honors at the San Luis Obispo Film Festival and to Best Comedy at WorldFest Houston. She was named Method Fest’s “Performer to Watch” and has also received the Los Angeles Women’s Theatre Festival’s “Maverick” Award. 

Frederick’s latest film was Jaglom’s romantic comedy “Queen of the Lot.” An electronic ankle bracelet and being under house arrest isn't about to stop actress Maggie Chase (Frederick) from the two things she craves the most: real fame and true love. With more "Google points" than her Iowa hometown, but far less than Angelina Jolie, Maggie is desperate to claw her way off the B-list of action/adventure pictures and into major movie stardom. With a team of handlers (Ron Vignone, Diane Salinger, David Proval and Zack Norman) to spin her recent drunk driving arrests into tabloid gold and bad-boy movie star boyfriend Dov (Christopher Rydell) on her arm, Maggie's star is on the rise. Things get complicated when a trip home to meet Dov's legendary family introduces Maggie to the world of Hollywood Royalty (Kathryn Crosby, Mary Crosby, Peter Bogdanovich, Dennis Christopher and Jack Heller) and to her boyfriend's brother Aaron (Noah Wyle), the black sheep of the family, a failed writer who can actually see who Maggie really is behind her ingĂ©nue facade.

Frederick is overwhelmed by the comparisons and praise.  "Bette Davis is my inspiration right now," confesses the actress, who, like Margie, is a devoted cinephile.  "I don't feel that I can possibly compare to her, but I admire the way she was always in the moment, and the way that theatre and her life and her art were inseparable."  That kind of self-awareness as an actress-personality was crucial in developing Margie's character. 

"Comedy is based on pain; most great comic performers have great pain and live in a huge amount of denial." says Frederick.  "There's an early tragedy that translates into a masking, and there's a strange truthfulness to that.  I wanted people to have sympathy for Margie, but be a little confused as to whether they loved her or hated her."

There was no such early tragedy for Frederick, a proud Iowan who has known she wanted to be a performer since childhood.  "Iowa is really an amazing place for theatre," she enthuses.  "Maybe because people don't have as much to do, they spend a lot of time expressing themselves.  I started doing local and children's theatre in fourth grade, and was basically doing five shows a year for most of my life." 

When she went to college at the University of Iowa, she double majored in theatre  and political science/international relations.  Despite the daunting academic challenges of two disparate courses of study, Frederick thrived, particularly enjoying working with younger playwrights on new works.  "With the playwriting program and the Writer's Workshop, I did a lot of new work.  I'm so grateful for that, because when I came to California, I had a very open mind about strange, independent and unusual projects." Frederick was recently named the recipient of the University of Iowa’s Distinguished Alumni Award for 2012.

There were plenty of independent projects for Frederick to work in after her graduation as class valedictorian and the move to Hollywood, but like many young performers, regular paying work and success seemed far away.  That's when Frederick learned from a friend that independent director Henry Jaglom had a history of responding to fan letters.  Even though she'd never seen his films, Frederick wrote to Jaglom asking for an audition.  The director responded by casting her in his play, “A Safe Place.”  Her work so impressed him, that soon she was starring in “Always - But Not Forever,” Jaglom's theatrical revision of his earlier screen work, and preparing her to star in “Hollywood Dreams.”  "We created a really wonderful balance," says Frederick of Jaglom, who  as made a career out of casual but pointed observations about the intricacies of human relationships against the backdrop of show business.  "He has this objectivity about Hollywood, having been there so long, and the film played on my subjectivity of that experience.  He provided the framework in which Margie could live - he's known all of these characters as people, and I just put myself in the reality of the moment."

That relationship was extended to Jaglom's “Irene in Time” in which Frederick was reunited with “Hollywood Dreams” co-stars David Proval, Zack Norman and Karen Black.  Frederick most recently starred with Noah Wyle in Jaglom’s “Queen of the Lot” which picks up Margie’s story three years later. Next, she will be seen starring in “The ‘M’ Word,” “Just Beautiful,” and “Just 45 Minutes From Broadway.”

Meanwhile, Frederick recently hosted the fifth annual Iowa Film Festival - an event she founded five years ago to great success.  "People were so thrilled to have that festival in their community," she says.  "All kinds of people - lawyers, students, regular people - were inspired to try their hand at filmmaking, and this year the event has increased threefold." 
A devoted fitness advocate whose impressive Tae Kwon Do skills can also briefly
be seen in “Hollywood Dreams,” Frederick is also spending as much time as she can at the beach where she admits to having a "serious mistress" - the surf.  "I never expected to become addicted to surfing," she admits.  "I guess when you grow up landlocked, you never think about things like that.  I've been doing it for a few years now, and it's provided a great balance in my life.  I like the aspect of constantly facing a new challenge, and the danger - I broke my nose surfing and have gotten pretty banged up.  It's a humbling experience - you're up against this creature, and if you don't respect it, you drown."  As a sign of her passion for the art of riding the wild surf, Frederick started "Project Save Our Surf," an annual event she co-hosts with legendary surfer Shaun Tomson which has raised thousands of dollars for various ocean charities.
                                                       
Tanna Frederick’s website is located at www.tannafrederick.com


Santa Monica Baykeeper
Like no other organization in Los Angeles, Santa Monica Baykeeper is dedicated to the enforcement, protection, and restoration of Santa Monica Bay, San Pedro Bay, and the rivers and streams that run through and underneath L.A. County. Since 1993, Santa Monica Baykeeper has enforced environmental laws and worked with the public to monitor sources of pollution. And where possible, we've worked to restore ocean and river environments to ensure they can rebuild and sustain the complex web of life we all need to survive.
Santa Monica Baykeeper works relentlessly for cleaner water — which means more open beaches, stronger and more resilient habitats, and an aquatic environment that can sustain life for generations to come. 
Like no other organization in Los Angeles, Santa Monica Baykeeper is dedicated to the enforcement, protection, and restoration of Santa Monica Bay, San Pedro Bay, and the rivers and streams that run through and underneath L.A. County.


Since 1993, Santa Monica Baykeeper has enforced environmental laws and worked with the public to monitor sources of pollution. And where possible, we've worked to restore ocean and river environments to ensure they can rebuild and sustain the complex web of life we all need to survive.
Santa Monica Baykeeper works relentlessly for cleaner water — which means more open beaches, stronger and more resilient habitats, and an aquatic environment that can sustain life for generations to come.


We hope you'll read more about our programs and consider becoming a member of Santa Monica Baykeeper
LIZ CROSSON
Executive Director
Santa Monica BayKeeper
Liz joins Baykeeper after being intimately involved in Baykeeper’s litigation and enforcement program as an associate attorney with Lawyers for Clean Water, Inc. She gained environmental advocacy experience working for several non-profits in Oregon and California. She’s been involved in community outreach and organizing, organizational development, and environmental litigation striving to protect water quality, endangered species, and coastal and forest ecosystems.
 Liz has an undergraduate degree from UC Berkeley where she studied Environmental Science, Policy, and Management. She also has an M.S. in Biology/Environmental Education and a J.D. from Lewis and Clark Law School with an emphasis in environmental law.
During law school, she was a member of the National Environmental Moot Court First Place team at Pace Law School and received several honors for her dedication to public interest law. She currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Klamath-Siskiyou Wildlands Center and the Advisory Board of the Rogue Riverkeeper, both based in Ashland, Oregon. Liz’s current work is focused on eliminating pollution and preventing the degradation of Southern California's aquatic and coastal ecosystems.
###
Tanna and Liz on location at Loews Santa Monica




Monday, November 14, 2011

11/15 - Flavor! Napa Valley




If you love eating, wine tasting, watching chefs and winemakers in action, and you happen to be near Napa this coming weekend, this is the event for you!  Join us as we hear from Allison Lane Simpson of the Napa Valley Destination Council, one of the leading chefs of the event, Jefferey Jake of Silverado Resort, and one of the winemakers along the Appellation Trail.


The inaugural Flavor! Napa Valley, four days of tastings, cooking demonstrations and winemaker dinners, takes place November 17-20 at the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone and Silverado Resort and Spa.


A limited number of tickets remain for premium festival events, including cooking demonstrations, wine tastings and seminars. More than 120 wineries will pour their Napa Valley wines from 6 to 9 p.m. Friday, November 18 at the CIA. Tickets for individual demos, tastings and Flavor! Napa Valley packages are available at flavornapavalley.com.

Allison Lane Simpson
Vice President, Marketing & Communications
Napa Valley Destination Council

Allison Lane Simpson is a 22-year Napa Valley resident with a strong background in public relations and marketing, having previously held senior positions at Beringer Vineyards and Foster’s Wine Estates for over a decade. Prior to her wine business career, Allison developed a passion for food, wine, art and travel during stints living abroad, and in restaurant and hotel management roles.

Since joining the Napa Valley Destination Council in September, 2010, Allison has overseen the implementation of the organization’s strategic marketing and communications plan, developing and launching targeted marketing programs that promote, protect and enhance the Napa Valley’s position as the world’s premier wine, food, arts and wellness capital. 

Allison lives in St. Helena at the base of Spring Mountain with her husband Clark and two beloved children of the pedigree-challenged canine variety.




Jefferey Jake
Executive Chef
Silverado Resort and Spa

Executive Chef Jeffrey Jake manages the seasonally-changing menus at Silverado Resort and Spa, which highlight the region's bountiful array of top-quality produce, cattle ranches, and award-winning cheese producers.  He oversees the menus for The Grill, a local favorite; The Royal Oak, a sophisticated wine country restaurant; the Main Lounge; and all catering and room service for the resort.

A Napa native, Jake began his culinary career at the venerable Domain Chandon as Sous Chef. He then went on to serve as Chef de Cuisine at Sonoma Mission Inn, and as the Executive Chef at The Old Bath House Restaurant, which was named "Outstanding Restaurant" by the California Writers Association during his tenure. From 1998 to 2006, he served as Executive Chef of The Lodge at Pebble Beach, and prior to his arrival at Silverado Resort he was Executive Chef for The Carneros Inn.

The long and diverse culinary path of Chef Jeffrey Jake has come full circle. While his career has taken him throughout California, he is most at home in the Napa Valley. In his spare time, he can be found authoring his soon to be published cookbook that will include recipes from his life’s work.


Kristy Melton
Winemaker
Clos Du Val Winery

A self-described science geek armed with a BS in Biology and Animal Science from Angelo State University in San Angelo, Texas, Kristy Melton’s career as a research scientist at the prestigious National Institutes of Health was cut short when a family trip to Napa Valley inspired her to trade in her beakers for barrels in 2004.

A year later, Melton was enrolled at the University of California at Davis where she earned her MS in Viticulture and Enology in 2007.  She was appointed Clos Du Val’s Assistant Winemaker in August of 2010 after having held several key enology and winemaking positions at high profile wineries including Saintsbury where, in addition to her research and analysis responsibilities, she contributed her winemaking talents to their famed Pinot Noir, Syrah, and Chardonnay programs.   She has also held coveted intern positions at Sonoma’s Iron Horse Vineyards and Seresin Estate in Marlborough, New Zealand.

A travel, food and wine junky, Melton’s passion for crafting modern wines of elegance and balance are expected to further enhance Clos Du Val’s already exceptionally-regarded wine program.  She lives in Napa, California and is based at Clos Du Val Winery. 


 AND FINALLY... FOR SOME THANKSGIVING ONLINE CHATTING:


Please join me on Circulon's Facebook page for our EXPERT HOUR: LIVE CHAT  where I will be the guest chef discussing "Healthy Twists to Your Thanksgiving Feast” Wed. November 16 from 1-2pm PST http://www.facebook.com/Circulon   

Monday, November 7, 2011

11/8 - A Taste of Piemonte at Il Fornaio

Chef Carlo Orchetti
Il Fornaio, San Jose


A native of Piemonte, Carlo Ochetti was born in the small town of Intra, just north of the city Verbania, where he discovered his passion for cooking at an early age. As a child he would spend every Sunday helping his mamma Silvana in the kitchen. After studying Italian and French cuisine at Stresa Scuola Alberghiera in Verbania, he moved to the United States to put his culinary talents to use. Carlo started with Il Fornaio last year and is delighted to collaborate with Executive Chef Maurizio Mazzon on the Festa menu.

"Maurizio and I share a similar philosophy when it comes to food," remarked Carlo. "We believe that the best dish is the one that is made with the freshest seasonal ingredients available." This month's menu takes advantage of a seasonal ingredient that is uniquely Piemontese: white truffles.

"I love cooking with white truffles. It is a challenge to fully express the unique flavor of this delicate ingredient in each dish without overwhelming. Also, truffles truly remind me of home," adds Carlo.

Combining fond memories of his childhood and his passion for authentic flavor, Carlo, along with Maurizio, has crafted a menu that presents the food of Piemonte in a way only a native could. Carlo is proud to celebrate the food and wine of Piemonte with tonight's menu and share a taste of his home with you.

Buon Appetito!


David Fera and Carlo inside San Jose Il Fornaio
 David Fera
General Manager
Il Fornaio, San Jose

David has been with Il Fornaio for 20 years and General Manager in San Jose for 10.  He shares his extensive knowledge of Italian and US wines with us with some in depth details on the Piedmonte wines and pairings. 






About Piemonte
Piemonte (p'yeh-MOHNT-eh)
Piemonte is tucked away in the northwest corner of Italy and is bordered by the Alps, France, Liguria and Lombardia. This wild, rugged landscape has produced two distinct styles of cooking. One is found in many of the larger cities and areas of lower altitude and depends on the outside influences of Lombardia to the east and France to the west. As you climb into mountain territory, however, you find something quite different, often considered to be the "native" cuisine. It is here you will find ingredients particular to the region and the heartier fare that provides sustenance to those who live and work at energy-burning altitudes.

Perhaps the most exclusive and recognized ingredient of Piemontese cooking is the white truffle. It is the signature note in fonduta, the region's cheese fondue specialty. On this evening's menu, you will find Agnolotti di Fonduta ai Porcini, housemade ravioli filled with fontina cheese and accented with white truffle oil. It is the perfect pasta for chilly winter weather.

Other dishes whose ingredients are dictated by the geography of the region are risotto and polenta.The Po valley is "rice country," and Piemonte produces more rice than any other Italian region. The rice produced in Piemonte is considered by some to be the best in the world. It is the star ingredient of Risotto con Porcini e Gamberetti, risotto with shrimp, porcini mushrooms, shallots and a touch of cream.
While Piemonte is known throughout the world for many of its classic dishes, it is also considered to be one of the best wine-growing regions in Italy. Perhaps the most famous, Barolo is known as the "King of ItalianWines." It is rich and full-bodied, the ideal companion for many of the region's heartiest dishes. Barolo and Barbaresco are both highly regarded reds that enhance any experience involving the foods of Piemonte.

Lisa Riedel
Regional GM, Sainte Claire Hotel, San Jose

Grand Hospitality...Timeless Charm

A legend at the Epicenter of Innovation, The Sainte Claire, a San Jose California Hotel, is one of California’s genuine grand hotels – a stately hotel with majestic, plush interiors situated in the heart of downtown San Jose. This landmark embraces the character of yesteryear and greets the innovators of tomorrow with luxurious modern amenities and timeless service. Relaxing and comfortable, yet inspiring and sophisticated –a Silicon Valley Hotel that truly offers the best of both worlds.

Garland & Gable. Roosevelt & Kennedy. DiMaggio & Hope. From legends and stars to the most dignified of dignitaries, this San Jose Boutique Hotel has played host to some legendary guests. As a member of the prestigious Historic Hotels of America, this West Coast legend in its own right has been a destination for innovators, visionaries, dreamers and inspired guests for generations since 1926.

A sublime getaway, a convention hub, a romantic urban escape, or a business endeavor, the Sainte Claire, one of the finest San Jose hotels, embraces characters of all types with unmistakable character of her own. Across the street is the McEnery Convention Center and just steps away from the hotel are countless museums, restaurants and the nearby Santana Row to help ensure a wonderful stay in San Jose. Visit the Sainte Claire to see why we’re the best hotel San Jose has to offer!

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

11/1 - Winemaker Carmen Policy, Former 49ers CEO

"Maybe it's my Italian heritage, but there's nothing better than staying in tune with the seasons and watching the grapevines change throughout the year," he says. "I want to understand how all the winemaking pieces fit together,"

Producing wine might have been a nice sideline to Policy's career. But he doesn't see winegrowing as a vanity project. He is a hands-on vintner.