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President Bill Clinton and Secretary Hillary Rodham Clinton in Conversation with David Rubenstein at NYC’s 92Y May 4

By Joe Winger — 1 year ago

President Bill Clinton and Secretary Hillary Rodham Clinton in Conversation with David Rubenstein at NYC’s 92Y May 4

Join President Bill Clinton and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton — two of the most consequential world leaders of our time — in a major conversation on their pathbreaking lives in politics and the power of transformative leadership with David Rubenstein.

For in-person tickets

For on-line tickets

During his time as president, Bill Clinton led longest economic expansion in US history, including the creation of 22 million jobs. In her decades of public service, Hillary Clinton has broken barrier after barrier, working tirelessly to improve the lives of all Americans through health care legislation, economic policy, and diplomacy — and in so doing became an icon for women and girls the world over.

In celebration of our 150th anniversary, the Clintons come together on our stage for the first time ever in a candid discussion on their remarkable lives — what they’ve learned from one another, how they have influenced each other’s leadership styles and politics, their hopes for the future of America, and much more.

People Who Inspire Us: A 150th Anniversary Series

This series is made possible through the support of David Rubenstein

For 150 years, The 92nd Street Y, New York has been a vital center for culture, connection, and enrichment. And for the last 40 of these years, the 92NY Recanati-Kaplan Talks series – the premier forum for conversation in the nation – is where thought leaders and culture shapers have come to engage in the kind of unparalleled talks that leave the rest of us talking, and that open hearts and minds.

To mark our 150th anniversary, 92NY Recanati-Kaplan Talks presents a series of select events, People Who Inspire Us. This special series is conceived to feature exceptionally distinguished figures in American cultural life who have used their prominence in a meaningful way to better the world.

Wine Pro Etti Edri Reveals the Perfect Wines for Passover

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Wine Pro Etti Edri Reveals the Perfect Wines for Passover

By Joe Winger — 1 year ago

Wine Pro Etti Edri Reveals the Perfect Wines for Passover

Carmel Winery’s Etti Edri had a few minutes to stop by and talk about Passover, her favorite wines and some incredible family meals to pair with those wines.

Carmel Winery has great wines for Passover. Tell us about them

When you are a winery that produces one for 140 years and Rothchild has been so happy and proud about us, we always have to mention him. I always love mentioning the consecutive harvests that we carry.

It’s not an easy thing, especially not in Israel, especially during the Muslim era, especially when, during the Ottoman era, we continue to produce great wine in Israel, which is a great thing.

And I am privileged to work in such a winery that, the first Prime Minister of Israel used to work there. So this is a great thing. It’s not just the history of it all, but it’s also the one-step-after-the-other, it never stops, we’ve been continuously working.

It’s the love of the work, and the love of the land, and the 108 families of growers that have escorted us since day one.

This is not just about wine making, but it’s also to preserve the philosophy that we’ve been making wine for a thousand years and we want to be making wine another 5,000 years. We will keep it going, which is not an easy thing.

So of course I come from Carmel. What’s important for me is to talk about Carmel Winery, that we are able to produce wines from a wide spectrum of wine.

When we sit together for Passover. There are younger people: 18 year old’s, 20 year olds, but it’s people we wanna bring in and invite to the wine world.

Because the wine world in Israel is just since the 1970’s, even though they used to produce wine thousands of years ago. After the Muslim era until the seventh century there was no wine at all. So when Rothchild came, he had to start everything from scratch.

So what he started, we actually sustained. And when we sit together at the table for Passover there are 18 year olds, 23 and 30 year olds, parents, grandparents. That’s a lot of different wine tastes. And we all know how wine involves your palette.

Personally, I mean, I started with semi-dry wines, and today I would go for the Volcano, which is the single vineyard one, you know, the geeky one that goes into oak and large oak. But how long it stayed, and how long it was fermented, and so forth.

As opposed to my 21 year old. She says, “Mom, give me something light and fun”.

So this is what’s so beautiful about Carmel is that you can give them the “Buzz” series, which is the sparkling, a flavored wine and it’s semi-sweet, and they love it. But yet, on the other hand, my father would like the brandy which we also produce. And, me, myself, would go for the high end one. So everybody around the table can enjoy their own glass of wine, and that’s miraculous in a country like ours, it’s an achievement.

Lets do a deeper dive on the wine.

Because I’m at the age of liking these geeky kinds of wines, I want to talk about Carmel Signature. Carmel Signature is all the premium wines under Carmel Winery’s label. It means that while we make regular table wines, you can also drink our Signature series and it has our signature on it, Carmel signature with a symbol of spies.

That symbol means it’s coming from the top vineyards in Israel. So it’s coming up from the Galilee. It’s coming from the Judean Hills. It’s always being picked from single vineyards that are growing up in the north, with really meticulous care.

When it comes into the winery, it’s separated in oak, and then after the fermentation, it’s blended together for a while until it creates a beautiful blend.

So two things I want to talk about, one is we are launching “Single vineyard”, which is a very famous among Kosher drinkers. They love it knowing it’s Single Vineyard from Carmel and they want to taste it because it’s been planted since 2010.

Also, we are launching something today that’s a bit higher. It’s called Volcano, because it comes from a special vineyard that was planted in 2010. Picked from their Cabernet Sauvignon, which Americans love.

So combine the Cabernet grapes, the single vineyard, the signature symbol, the immaculate vineyard work. Combing in all and eventually you get something that’s really really beautiful on the palate, very rich, but yet something you can age and drink 5 – 10 years from now.

Amazing, so tell me more about the Carmel Single Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2019. What meal would you pair with it for dinner?

When we are drinking such a rich and full wine, you would expect to have a matching experience with the food. So usually people would go for roasted meats, fatty meats because the wine is so rich in tannins.

I would actually go for the long-cooked lamb, because I’m Mediterranean, I’m Tunisian.

So I would put all these herbs inside, and yet these herbs would not damage the quality of the wine or the flavors it also pronounces. But long cooked. When you think about a bite of that alongside rice pilaf. You know what that is like? A mixture of the spices should match perfectly to that cabernet. The balance you would get is quite amazing.

Let’s move to a second wine.

What I want to talk about is a wine called Carmel Mediterranean. It’s also on the Carmel Signature which received 96 points by Decanter, which was a big thing for us.

The Americans that came here in 2000, when they tried it they were just blown away.

Mediterranean Carmel is a combination. It’s got Carignan, it’s got Petit Verdot. It’s got Petit Syrah. It’s got single vineyards, separated from all of Israel. It combined later on, after 8 months in oak together, as a blend.

When you taste it it feels like you are tasting some part of the Judean Hills climate, which is limestone and rocky, chalky. When you go out to the Northern Galilee, it’s just a bit wet there, there’s more rain there. So it would feel a lot more earthiness and herbiness into the wines, and combining that, together with also some of the northern shore, Carignan, which is a 100 year old vine. That just gives you a sensation on your palette that you can’t give up.

Then we say, Israel is in one bottle for Carmel Mediterranean and the Carmel Signature.

Manhattan’s La Grande Boucherie Chef Maxime Kien Reveals His Culinary Inspirations

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Manhattan’s La Grande Boucherie Chef Maxime Kien Reveals His Culinary Inspirations

By Joe Winger — 1 year ago

Manhattan’s La Grande Boucherie Chef Maxime Kien Reveals inspiration from Past Generations of Chefs

Chef Maxime Kien is the new Executive Chef of NYC’s The Group, responsible for La Grande Boucherie, Boucherie Union Square, Boucherie West Village, Petite Boucherie and more. And by the end of 2023, they’re launching even more restaurants throughout the United States..

But today’s conversation is about how the past has inspired Chef Maxime Kien’s work.

Chef Maxime Kien has over twenty years of fine dining experience but it all started as a young boy growing up in his family’s kitchens.

You grew up in kitchens. Your grandparents loved to cook and your father was a chef. How did these experiences inspire you?

Well, my Dad was a professional Chef in the South of France. In Monaco, all my grandparents, both my grandmothers and my grandfathers were great cooks. One of my great-grandfathers was a professional cook in Paris at an open air market that was very famous in the early 1900s. There was a very famous French brasserie opened over there and the story behind that is that the gentleman that opened that place wanted to have a place where all the chefs [that worked there] could meet because there was the open air market that was right next to it.

So you had a mix of late night partiers that would go out and party and wanted a place to be able to go eat and drink all night long. Now you had a place for that.

All the people that worked until late at night wanted a place where they could go and eat something before they went home. And Chefs that had to go to the market very early, at four o’clock in the morning to pick up that day’s poultry, rabbits, quails and all the fresh fish coming from Britain on a daily routine. They would do that at four o’clock in the morning and afterwards they needed a place to go for breakfast.

It was open 24 hours a day. It was always a mix of people from show business, like singers and actors.

You would have Mick Jagger sitting at the bar. Next to him would be a Chef. Next to the Chef would be a 14 year old boy having an omelet for breakfast with a glass of red wine at six o’clock in the morning. So it’s always been a mix of everything.

Unfortunately, my Dad passed away when I was really young. I was six. But I guess I was drawn to cooking and that lifestyle. It’s chaotic. When you’re working in a kitchen, you never know what time you’ll get done. It might be quiet and you get home at night by 10 o’clock.

If you start to get busy, you might not be done until two o’clock in the morning. So it’s a mix of adrenaline and being busy and it’s tough and it’s grueling and it’s rewarding and it’s a mix of everything

How did growing up in kitchens with your family inspire you to run your own kitchen?

Every chef is different. The way I run my kitchen is different from the way that other chefs I’ve worked with run theirs. It’s like a recipe. Everyone can interpret it differently. You take bits and pieces from a recipe to take the same dish and make it your own.

Someone’s management style is the same way. I’ve worked for some chefs who were very good at managing people, but in the kitchen they were not as great. And some of them were geniuses at creating dishes, but they were not the best at managing people. So you have to create your own style.

You graduated culinary school when you were very young. Would you still recommend school or encourage new chefs to learn hands-on in a kitchen?

The hard part about school versus hands-on is being able to understand exactly what [a new chef] is trying to achieve. Meaning that when I went to culinary school back in the 1980s, you wanted to graduate and get a diploma. After that, you wanted to be able to get your foot inside the door of a three Michelin star restaurant, a very famous place because you knew the chef was someone you were gonna be able to learn from.

And that [experience] was gonna take you to the next chef, that was gonna take you to the next chef, and so on. Because it’s a close-knit community, like a family. All the big chefs know each other. So when you’re ready to make your next move, the Chef [at your current kitchen] would come and ask, ‘Where do you want to go next?’ He’ll make a call and help you get that next job.

Now, unfortunately, the way some TV cooking shows happen, they give a vision of what it is to be a chef that is completely different from the truth.

So now you have cooks that go to very famous, very expensive culinary schools and they spend a huge amount of money to graduate. Then after two years of education, they expect to find a position of Executive Chef, making six figures and wearing Egyptian cotton jackets with their name on them.

But they don’t have the basics. They’re trying to run before they can walk. The biggest difference with my generation is, we went through all the processes, we didn’t try to rush the steps before you actually tried to be a chef.

You had to be a good line cook before you tried to become Chef de Partie and then [become] a good Chef de Partie before you become a Sous Chef, and then [become] a good Sous Chef, before you become an executive chef. So that’s the main difference.

Almost like an army style, you have to graduate through the ranks.

New chefs try to go too fast. Take your time. Find a chef you can learn from. New York is very lucky for that because you’ve got so many great chefs.

Daniel Boulud and all these great chefs brought the New York Culinary to the next level. Daniel Boulud has been here for 30 years now.

So go work for them, write everything down, taste everything, take pictures!

When I started, we didn’t have cell phones to take pictures, so it was whatever you could remember and whatever you could write down. Now we’ve reached a point where you can take a video of a chef doing a dish and afterwards you can write down notes.

I would say the biggest advice to the cooks right now: find a chef, find your niche, go work for him for two years, three years, four years. Write everything down, taste everything, ask questions, and then learn as much as you can.

Don’t think about being called “Chef” right away. Don’t think about making a ton of money. Learn as much as you can then, then after that, start to think about your next step. But take your time.

If you have the financial ability to be able to afford culinary school, do it, but it can be pricey. You don’t need to go to a very expensive, very famous one; but go to get some good basic training in a culinary school.

Then after that, go see a chef and say, “I just want to learn. I want to work for you. You’re the best in the business in your town.” It can be in New York. It can also be in Chicago or anywhere else. Just say, “I want to learn. I want to work for you.”

Manhattan’s La Grande Boucherie Executive Chef Maxime Kien Offers New Foodie Flavor

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Springtime in The City: Manhattan’s La Grande Boucherie Executive Chef Maxime Kien Offers New Foodie Flavor

By Joe Winger — 1 year ago

It’s Springtime in the city and Manhattan’s La Grande Boucherie Offers an inspired New Springtime Menu led by Executive Chef Maxime Kien.

Starting March 15, La Grande Boucherie is offering a new menu for Spring time. In addition to its best-selling current menu, the new items led by Executive Chef Maxime Kien promises dishes you won’t find on any other Manhattan menu, such as the refreshing Salad De Poireaux.

The goal of the menu under Executive Chef Maxime Kien’s leadership is to keep the plates simple and express the food’s pure expression, not to distract with too many flavors, but rather to be true to one specific flavor and present it in its best form.

Manhattan’s La Grande Boucherie

Manhattanites and foodies already find the name La Grande Boucherie very familiar as it’s the most-booked restaurant in the city and the other NYC restaurants within the company include Boucherie Union Square, Boucherie West Village, Petite Boucherie.

Executive Chef Maxime Kien is a world-renowned chef with more than two decades of experience in fine dining. Growing up in the Côte D’azur region of Southern France, Maxime developed a deep appreciation for natural ingredients Southern France has to offer.

He has worked in several esteemed establishments around the country. The Hilton in Cleveland and Cincinnati, the only AAA Five Diamond recipient in Ohio and one out of 68 in the United States. His most recent position was Resort Executive Chef at Nemacolin Woodland Resort, a 5 Star 5 Diamond property in Pennsylvania.

Over the next several months, The Group NYC is launching restaurants in major cities throughout North America and Executive Chef Maxime Kien is a leader in that revolution.

Today we walk through a decadent and delicious multi-course meal.

Executive Chef Maxime Kien explains:

Tonight you’re gonna be tasting all the new dishes that started two nights ago. The idea would be to transition from what was done in the past and now with me coming in and bringing a different vibe.

People think about French food and they think about heavy food, a lot of butter, a lot of cream, strong flavors, but sometimes it’s depending on which part of France you come from, it’s gonna be something completely different. If you drive for 30 minutes, it may feel like it’s the same region, but no, it’s gonna be different aromas, different flavors, different techniques.

So tonight is going to be some dishes that we just started that are going to be a little bit more on the lighter version as we approach spring and summer.

I believe a good idea would be to start with the leek salad. It’s very light. The idea of taking a simple product [such] as a leek and then making it as your starter dish. I’m not trying to be pretentious. You can go anywhere in the city and you will not find a leek salad on any other menu besides us. I did that menu for my tasting for Emil (Stefkov), the owner, and he absolutely loved it.

And that, to me, was good recognition to put that on the menu because it’s simple it’s rustic, but it’s very flavorful; and you’re not gonna find it anywhere else.

After that, the scallops. That’s another dish that I did for Emil and everybody loved it. And so we’ll be able to see dishes that have just gotten started.

I explain to Chef Max that I always look for a “story” within the courses, from starter to entree to dessert and more. Is he telling a story with his courses?

My story is: simplicity is best. I don’t try to do an overly-complicated dish that you’re not gonna be able to understand. So simplicity. Taking a beautiful product as simple as a leek, [deciding what’s] gonna complement it, and it’s gonna give you a chance to be able to taste something that hopefully you’ve never tasted before, or not in that fashion at least. Being able to say, ‘Oh, you know what? That leek salad was so simple that it was beautiful. That’s what I’m trying to accomplish. That’s the whole story.’

Boucherie Old Fashioned Buffalo Trace Bourbon, Espolon Anejo, Lavender, Plum

Boucherie Old Fashioned

Buffalo Trace Bourbon, Espolon Anejo, Lavender, Plum

An excellent rendition of the Classic Old Fashioned. The lavender adds dimension to the nose. The Espolon Anejo added spice to the mouth.

Chef Maxime Chien La Grande Boucherie Salad De Poireaux

Salad De Poireaux

Braised leeks and smashed eggs vinaigrette topped with roasted hazelnuts.

This is a meal by itself. Refreshing, but providing an earthy note. An excellent palate cleanser. But surprisingly filling starter dish.

Chef Maxine Kien’s La Grande Boucherie Les St Jacques Roties

Les St Jacques Roties

Roasted scallops, thyme polenta, and herb salad

This was presented exactly as I could have wished for. Per Chef Max’s suggestion, it was a simple dish, delivered incredibly well. It was heaven to look at, smell and taste. By my third bite, I still wanted more.

Branzino

Pan-Seared Mediterranean Branzino, topped with Olive Oil vinaigrette and watercrest salad.

A perfect combination of flavors. The white fish was tender and flavorful. The carrot, onion side was a partner without ever overwhelming the star of the plate. Highly recommend.

Chef Maxime Kien’s La Grande Bouchiere Flan Parisien

Flan Parisien

Vanilla Malagasy custard with gianduja heart

Pushing your spoon into the crust as it bursts creates a sensual triumph. The flan’s crumbly, biscuit-like texture allows your spoon to ease in and pull out the most delicious Vanilla Malagasy. You might promise yourself you’re only going to have one bite. But this plate deserves more attention leaving you craving a second or third spoon visit. And honestly, you’ll be dreaming about it again tonight.

Chef Max fulfills his promise. Not only are the new menu items light, Spring and Summer-oriented, but they’re unique to Manhattan.

If you’re a passionate foodie who craves new and invented plated, full of original flavors, presented simply, but powerfully, you need to visit La Grande Boucherie.

SMASH Heads to Broadway in the 2024-2025 Season, directed by Susan Stroman, Produced by Steven Spielberg

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SMASH Heads to Broadway in the 2024-2025 Season, directed by Susan Stroman, Produced by Steven Spielberg

By Katie Macken — 1 year ago

SMASH Heads to Broadway in the 2024-2025 Season, directed by Susan Stroman, Produced by Steven Spielberg

SMASH is setting its sights on Broadway with an award-winning creative team, it was announced today by Robert Greenblatt, Neil Meron, and Steven Spielberg who will serve as lead producers. The stage musical adaptation, inspired by the fan-favorite NBC series on which they all worked together, is slated for Broadway in the 2024-25 season.

SMASH Heads to Broadway in the 2024-2025 Season, directed by Susan

The production will be helmed by 5-time Tony-winning director Susan Stroman, with a score by the Tony- and Grammy-winning duo Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman (Some Like It Hot, Hairspray, Mary Poppins Returns, etc.), who wrote over two dozen songs for the television show, many of which will be used in the musical.

They will also be writing additional new material. The book will be co-written by two of Broadway’s most seasoned craftsmen, Tony-winner Bob Martin (The Prom, The Drowsy Chaperone) and Tony-nominated Rick Elice (Jersey Boys, Peter and the Starcatcher). And Smash’s Emmy-winning choreographer, Joshua Bergasse, will reprise his role for the stage adaptation. 101 Productions, Ltd. will serve as General Management.

www.SmashBroadway.com

Steven Spielberg, whose original idea led to the NBC series, commented: “Smash is near and dear to my heart, and it was always my hope that a musical inspired by the show would eventually come to the stage. We now have an incredible creative team, and I’m looking forward to completing theSmash journey which began with my producing partners over ten years ago.”

Robert Greenblatt added, “Speaking for myself and Neil Meron, we’re elated that Steven wanted to join us as we bring Smash to the stage, as we’ve always felt that Shaiman and Wittman’s incredible score belonged on Broadway. And collaborating with the incomparable Susan Stroman, one of the best directors of musicals, plus first-class bookwriters, Rick Elice and Bob Martin, and our original choreographer, Josh Bergasse, is pure joy.”

Neil Meron commented, “Ever since the show ended in 2012, not a week goes by that someone doesn’t ask us when will they see Smash as a musical. We think we’ve come up with something the die-hard series fans will love but that will also be exciting for people who never saw an episode of the show. And above all else it will be a valentine to the Broadway musical and the exhilarating rollercoaster ride of bringing one to life.”

Many of the songs Shaiman and Wittman wrote for the television show —including the Emmy-nominated “Let Me Be Your Star” — will be used in the new musical. And while the story will follow the harrowing and hilarious process of mounting “Bombshell” (the musical about the life of Marilyn Monroe), the stage version of Smash will also depart liberally from the series.

The critically-acclaimed Smash debuted on NBC in February 2012 to raves from The Los Angeles Times (“A triumph”), The San Francisco Chronicle (“It’s so good you can’t help wondering why no one thought of it before”), The Hollywood Reporter (“Excellent, a bar-raiser for broadcast networks and superior to Glee”), and The Huffington Post (“One of the strongest new shows of the season”), among many others.

Smash was groundbreaking in its ambitiousness and developed a devoted following, but its popularity has only grown in the following years. The cast performed a charity benefit concert of the songs from “Bombshell” at the Minskoff Theatre in June of 2015 which sold out in fifteen minutes. It was filmed and eventually streamed during the early days of the pandemic in 2019 as a benefit for The Actor’s Fund (Entertainment Community Fund).

Susan Stroman’s work on Broadway is voluminous, including one of the biggest hits of all time, Mel Brooks’ The Producers, for which she won Tony Awards for both direction and choreography. Her other achievements include Tony Awards for choreography for Crazy For You, Show Boat, and Contact. She is represented this year in the West End by the well-received revival of Crazy For You, and on Broadway with New York, New York that has a score by the immortal team of John Kander and Fred Ebb, and Lin-Manuel Miranda.

Neil Meron has collaborated previously with Shaiman and Wittman, first on the motion picture of the musical Hairspray starring John Travolta, and then on the NBC live adaptation starring Harvey Fierstein. Meron is one of the lead producers (with Greenblatt as Co-Producer) of the current Shaiman and Wittman Broadway musical, Some Like It Hot, which opened to raves in December of 2022 at the Shubert Theatre.

The celebrated songwriters previously adapted another Steven Spielberg property for Broadway, the musical Catch Me If You Can, which was based on his 2002 hit film starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hanks. They also collaborated on the score for the box office hit, Mary Poppins Returns; and Shaiman is an Emmy-winner and seven-time Oscar nominee for his scores for motion pictures.

Rick Elice is co-writer of the mega–hit Jersey Boys, as well as The Addams Family, The Cher Show, and Peter and the Starcatcher. Bob Martin began his Broadway career both starring in and writing the book (Tony Award) for The Drowsy Chaperone. He co-wrote the book to the musical The Prom and co-created the television series Slings and Arrows. Martin and Elice are currently adapting The Princess Bride for the stage; Martin is also writing the book for the upcoming Broadway-bound musical, Boop; and Elice is writing the new musical, Water For Elephants.

Since Smash, Joshua Bergasse has become an acclaimed choreographer on Broadway where he was Tony-nominated for his elaborate ballets in the recent revival of On The Town. He collaborated with Shaiman and Wittman as choreographer for their musical adaptation of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and he also choreographed the revival of Lerner & Lowe’s Gigi starring Vanessa Hudgins.

Steven Spielberg is the most successful director in film history and the recipient of every major award including four Oscars, three Emmys, numerous Golden Globes and the AFI Lifetime Achievement Award, to name just a few. His list of producing credits for film and television through his two companies — DreamWorks and Amblin’ — is in a class by itself. He is also active on Broadway. His multi-faceted philanthropic work includes the creation of the USC Shoah Foundation in 1994.

Over the past thirty years, Robert Greenblatt ran Fox Broadcasting, Showtime, NBC, HBO, and the Turner Networks, and oversaw the launch of HBO Max in 2020. Between executive stints, he became an award-winning producer on Broadway (three Tony Awards, two Oliviers) and on television, where he won Golden Globe and Peabody Awards for HBO’s Six Feet Under. He produced Annie Live! with Neil Meron in 2021 and is currently executive producer of Julian Fellowes’ The Gilded Age on HBO.

Neil Meron is a busy producer on Broadway (Some Like It Hot, How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, Promises, Promises) and in film and television. He produced (with the late Craig Zadan) the Best-Picture, Chicago, the film version of Hairspray, The Bucket List, Bette Midler’s star turn in Gypsy for CBS, numerous television movies, and six live television musicals: The Sound of Music Live!, Peter Pan Live!, The Wiz Live!, Hairspray Live!, Annie Live!, and Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert!, for which he was awarded the Emmy.

The musical adaptation will be based in part on the television series created by Theresa Rebeck which was produced by Universal Television. Executive producers included Rebeck, Steven Spielberg, Neil Meron and Craig Zadan, Marc Shaiman, Scott Wittman, Darryl Frank, Justin Falvey, David Marshall Grant, and Joshua Safran. It was produced in association with DreamWorks Television and Storyline Productions.

The best wines for Spring revealed by Sommelier Jaime Smith

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The Best Wines for Spring revealed by Sommelier Jaime Smith

By Jaime Smith — 2 years ago

The best wines for Spring revealed by Sommelier Jaime Smith

With the coming of spring and the equinox, we start a time of renewal in nature, particularly in the northern hemisphere as the vineyards start to bud and come alive with energy. As the weather starts to warm and the plants wake up from a nice winter snooze, it’s time to think about what the last few years harvests have given us (as far as bottled wine).

With this warming, we still have cool if not cold nights, so when thinking about choosing wines for this new season, we have few limits.

We can celebrate in the day with sparklers and fade into the evening with a heartier red to keep you toasty.

These wines were chosen for QPR (quality to price ratio) as this is the single best determinate that defines well made wines. A good way to think about this is that if you have the means to drink a bottle daily, sub $20 is a sweet spot.

If you prefer one better bottle a week for a nice dinner on the weekend, perhaps $35 is a nice option; a very special bottle shouldn’t cost more than $75 (ever) in a store.

Not to give away the game but generally at wholesale if a bottle costs, for terms of simplicity, $10, in a store it would be 35% on top of that; on a shelf to you for ~ $14.

The markup for a restaurant is generally 300-400%, as they have many operating costs inlaid.

If anyone ever tells you they understand how bottles of wine are priced, they are lying.

These 15 wines represent some of the tastiness that is the exciting wine market right now. The wine will include both domestic and international selections and depending on where you live, will dictate the availability of each; the internet is the great leveler of the field!

For ease of choice to match both your moos and temperature needs, we split these up into a few categories. Mix and match!

Sparkling Springtime Wines

Sparkling wines are an everyday pleasure, from Pet-nats to traditional Champagne, the category is wide open, exciting and affordable.

Kobal, Bajta, Blaufrankisch, Natural Sparkling Rosé, Slovenia

Kobal, Bajta, Blaufrankisch, Natural Sparkling Rosé, Slovenia $22

Absolutely one of the most fun and tasty and colorful sparklers out there, the wine nerds and G-Ma would both drink this.

Buy Kobal, Bajta, Blaufrankisch, Natural Sparkling Rosé here

Alfredo Bertolani, Lambrusco, Rose Emilia-Romagna

Alfredo Bertolani, Lambrusco, Rose Emilia-Romagna , Italy $14

Don’t buy this if you want that sweet & heavy sparkling red, this is another level, fully dry and zippy.

Buy Alfredo Bertolani, Lambrusco, Rose Emilia-Romagna here

Le Vigne di Alice, Tajad, Prosecco, Italy

Le Vigne di Alice, Tajad, Prosecco, Italy, $18

Hands down one of the best dry Prosecco’s made.

Buy Le Vigne di Alice here.

1+1=3 , Cava, Brut, Spain

1+1=3 , Cava, Brut, Spain $15

Traditional Cava , off – dry, not fruity and solid QPR.

Buy 1+1+3 Cava here.

FRESNE-DUCRET, LES NOUVEAUX EXPLORATEURS, Champagne, France $41

FRESNE-DUCRET, LES NOUVEAUX EXPLORATEURS, Champagne

A Champagne for this price that destroys all the big names in this category.

Buy Fresne-Ducret here

White wines for Springtime

White wines: light to heavy and joyous to accompany the new season!

2020 SELBACH 'INCLINE' RIESLING QUALITÄTSWEIN, MOSEL

2020 SELBACH ‘INCLINE’ RIESLING QUALITÄTSWEIN, MOSEL, GERMANY $17
Pure Riesling essence, a touch fruity, green apple crunchy!

Buy Selbach ‘Incline’ Riesling here

ARNEIS, COLLINA SAN PONZIO Roero , Piedmont, Italy $14
Clean, fresh, apple and fennel , zippy minerals, perfect.

Buy Arneis Collina San Ponzio here

Collina San Ponzio 2021 Roero Arneis

Dog Point Vineyard, Sauvignon Blanc , New Zealand $20
Find a better savvie , you won’t!

Dog Point Vineyard, Sauvignon Blanc , New Zealand

Buy Dog Point Vineyard’s Sauvignon Blanc here

Scar of the Sea x Dedalus, Central Coast, Chardonnay, California $30
New school, rich and complex, no butter in sight.

Scar of the Sea x Dedalus, Central Coast, Chardonnay

Buy Scar of the Sea x Dedalus here

GRENACHE BLANC, COTES-DU-RHONE, DOM DE LA SOLITUDE, France $16

Deep and rich, a heavier wine with texture for days.

GRENACHE BLANC, COTES-DU-RHONE, DOM DE LA SOLITUDE

Buy Grenache Blanc Dom De La Solitude here

Red Wines for Springtime

Red Wines: lighter to heavier again, dealers choice.

Matilda Nieves, Mencia, Ribeira Sacra, Spain $18
Light , zippy, Smokey , perfect for a warm night.

Matilda Nieves, Mencia, Ribeira Sacra, Spain

Buy Matilda Nieves, Mencia, Ribeira Sacra here

Lieu Dit, Gamay , Santa Maria, California $25
Step outside of Beaujolais and see what the cool kids are drinking from Cali.

Lieu Dit, Gamay , Santa Maria, California

Buy Lieu Dit, Gamay here

CLAUDIO QUARTA VIGNAIOLO, Aglianico, Irpinia, Italy $16
Medium bodied, dense black fruits, Smokey, meaty, lovely.

CLAUDIO QUARTA VIGNAIOLO, Aglianico, Irpinia, Italy

Buy CLAUDIO QUARTA VIGNAIOLO, Aglianico here

BORDEAUX, CH LANDES, LUSSAC-ST-EMILION, France $25
A classic claret!

Buy Bordeaux, Chateau Landes Emilion here

BORDEAUX, CH LANDES, LUSSAC-ST-EMILION

COTES DU RHONE VILLAGES-SAINT GERVAIS, ROUVIERES, MOURVEDRE/SYRAH, France $18

Full bodied, spiced, herbed, a rich bowl of black fruits.

Cotes-du-Rhone-Villages Saint-Gervais “Les Rouvieres

Buy Cotes Dr Rhone Villages-Saint Gervais Rouvieres here

About Sommelier Jaime Smith

Sommelier Jaime Smith

a drone in the Sommelier Brain Collective. Jaime Smith loves wine. He’s currently in DC causing havoc.

Kick off St. Patrick’s Day with a stiff Irish Coffee, Volcanica Coffee win!

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Kick off St. Patrick’s Day with a stiff Irish Coffee, Volcanica Coffee win!

By Rocco Delfino — 2 years ago

Kick off St. Patrick’s Day with a stiff Irish Coffee and keep the celebration going late night with an Irish Espresso Martini.

Volcanica Coffee recipes are below that will give the good luck of the Irish!

Volcanica Coffee St Pattys Day has suggestions

VOLCANICA COFFEE’S IRISH ESPRESSO MARTINI RECIPE

1.5 oz of Irish Whiskey

½ oz of coffee liqueur

½ oz of Bailey’s Irish Cream

2 oz of cooled espresso using Volcanica Coffee’s Café Cubano Miami Espresso Blend

In a shaker glass, pour in your ingredients. Fill with ice and shake until shaker is frosty.
Strain into martini glass.

VOLCANICA COFFEE’S IRISH COFFEE RECIPE

1½ to 2 oz (45 to 60ml) Irish whiskey, to taste

4 oz (120ml) fresh-brewed Dark Roast Costa Rica Nespresso Coffee Pods

1 tablespoon brown sugar

2 oz (60ml) heavy cream, very cold

Unsweetened cocoa powder, for garnish

Instructions:

Fill the cups with hot water to warm them up.
Whip the cold cream until thick, but not stiff; it should still be able to run off of a spoon. Set aside. Tip: The key to success for whipped cream is to keep it very cold, so put your whisk and a stainless steel bowl in the freezer for 10 minutes before.
Pour the warm water out of the coffee mugs. Fill ¾ full with coffee, add the brown sugar and stir well until dissolved. Add a few drops of coffee into the whipped cream and stir to combine.
Add the whiskey into coffee and stir to combine.

Hold a spoon upside down over the coffee, the tip touching the glass edge and the surface of coffee. Gently pour the cream over the back of the spoon, allowing it to gently pool on top of the coffee; filling to the top of the mug. Do not stir. You should obtain a lovely layering that looks like a pint of Guiness!
Using a stenciled shamrock, sprinkle cocoa powder over the cream to make a beautiful drawing.

Volcanica Coffee is a specialty coffee roaster

Volcanica Coffee is a specialty coffee roaster that imports 150+ exotic coffees from volcanic regions around the world. The mineral-rich soil from volcanic regions produces coffee that is aromatic and remarkable in taste. The company carries a broad line of estate, peaberry, decaf and flavored coffees.

Volcanica Coffee’s website offers subscription and individual purchases. For more information, visit www.VolcanicaCoffee.com

Life of Pi Begins Broadway Performances on Thurs March 9

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Life of Pi Begins Broadway Performances on Thurs March 9

By Rocco Delfino — 2 years ago

LIFE OF PI Begins Broadway Performances on Thurs March 9

Preview performances of Lolita Chakrabarti’s dazzling stage adaption of Yann Martel’s best-selling novel LIFE OF PI begin Thursday, March 9, at Broadway’s Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre (236 West 45th Street).

You can enter the LIFE OF PI digital lottery the day before the performance at rush.telecharge.com.

Olivier Award-Winning LIFE OF PI

The digital lottery opens at 12am (ET) at rush.telecharge.com one day before the performance with winners announced that same morning at 10am (ET), with a second announcement of additional winners that afternoon at 3pm (ET). Winners may buy up to two tickets at $45 each (inclusive of $5 service fee), subject to availability.

A limited number of in-person LIFE OF PI rush tickets will be available on the day of each performance for $40 per ticket when the Schoenfeld Theatre box office opens. Maximum of two tickets per person, subject to availability. The box office opens Tuesday through Saturday at 10am (ET) and Sunday at 12pm (ET).

Tickets for LIFE OF PI on Broadway are available at Telecharge.com (212.239.6200) and at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre box office and range from $49 – $199 (including $2 facility fee).

The playing schedule for LIFE OF PI is as follows: Tuesday through Saturday at 8pm, with matinees Wednesday and Saturday at 2pm, and Sunday at 3pm. Please note there will be no 2pm performance on Wednesday, March 15, and March 22.

Beginning Tuesday, April 4, 2023, the LIFE OF PI performance schedule is as follows: Tuesday and Thursday at 7pm, Wednesday and Friday at 7:30pm, and Saturday at 8pm, with matinees Wednesday and Saturday at 2pm, and Sunday at 3pm.

The Olivier Award-winning play LIFE OF PI will premiere at Broadway’s Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre (236 West 45th Street) with three Olivier Award-winning performers making their Broadway debuts.

Recreating their critically acclaimed performances for Broadway will be “Best Actor” winner Hiran Abeysekera in the role of “Pi” and “Best Supporting Actor” winners Fred Davis and Scarlet Wilderink join the “Richard Parker” puppeteering team. The Broadway production of the five-time Olivier Award-winning London production of LIFE OF PI also features Brian Thomas Abraham as Cook/Voice of “Richard Parker,” Rajesh Bose as Father, Avery Glymph as Father Martin/Russian Sailor/Admiral Jackson, Mahira Kakkar as Nurse/Amma/Orange Juice, Kirstin Louie as Lulu Chen, Salma Qarnain as Mrs. Biology Kumar/Zaida Khan, Sathya Sridharan as Mamaji/Pandit-Ji,Daisuke Tsuji as Mr. Okamoto/Captain, Sonya Venugopal as Rani, with Nikki Calonge, Fred Davis, Rowan Ian Seamus Magee, Jonathan David Martin, Betsy Rosen, Celia Mei Rubin, Scarlet Wilderink and Andrew Wilson as Royal Bengal tiger “Richard Parker.” Mahnaz Damania, Jon Hoche, Usman Ali Mughal, Uma Paranjpe and David Shih round out the 24-member cast with Adi Dixit as the “Pi” alternate.

LIFE OF PI begins performances Thursday, March 9, 2023, and opens Thursday, March 30, 2023. Prior to the Broadway engagement, LIFE OF PImade its North American Premiere at the American Repertory Theater at Harvard University.

LIFE OF PI is directed by Max Webster, with Set and Costume design by Olivier Award winner Tim Hatley, Puppetry and Movement Direction by Olivier Award winner Finn Caldwell, Puppet Design by Olivier Award winners Nick Barnes and Finn Caldwell, Video Design by Olivier Award winnerAndrzej Goulding, Lighting Design by Olivier Award winner Tim Lutkin, Sound Design by Carolyn Downing, Original Music by Andrew T Mackay, Dramaturgy by Jack Bradley, Wig Design by David Brian Brown, and Casting by Stewart/Whitley.

Based on one of the best-loved works of fiction – winner of the Man Booker Prize, selling over fifteen million copies worldwide – LIFE OF PI is a breath-taking new theatrical adaptation of an epic journey of endurance and hope.

After a cargo ship sinks in the middle of the vast Pacific Ocean, a sixteen-year-old boy name Pi is stranded on a lifeboat with four other survivors – a hyena, a zebra, an orangutan, and a 450-pound Royal Bengal tiger. Time is against them, nature is harsh, who will survive?

LIFE OF PI on Broadway is produced by Simon Friend, Daryl Roth, Hal Luftig, Mark Gordon Pictures, Playing Field, Tulchin Bartner Productions, Gavin Kalin, Hunter Arnold, Hall Smalberg Winkler, 42nd.club, Elizabeth Armstrong, Eilene Davidson, deRoy Shea Waxman, Federman Jenen Productions, Susan Gallin, Independent Presenters Network, John Gore Organization, Kuhn Dodani, Harriet Newman Leve, Anastasia Muravyeva, Mary Lu Roffe, Catherine Schreiber, American Repertory Theatre and Sheffield Theatres, with Aaron Lustbader and Hanna Osmolska serving as Executive Producers.

LIFE OF PI played Wyndham’s Theatre in London’s West End where it won five Olivier Awards including Best New Play, Best Scenic Design and Best Lighting Design. In an historic first for the Olivier Awards, the seven performers who play Royal Bengal tiger “Richard Parker” were collectively awarded “Best Actor in a Supporting Role.” The London production with its cutting-edge visual effects has garnered great critical acclaim and will launch a UK & Ireland tour in the summer of 2023.

www.LifeOfPiBway.com

@lifeofpibway on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook

Pauly Shore brings to One-man Show 'Stick with the Dancing' to NY's Patchogue Theatre October 23 2023

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Pauly Shore Brings to One-man Show ‘Stick with the Dancing’ to NY’s Patchogue Theatre October 23 2023

By Contributor — 2 years ago

Pauly Shore brings to One-man Show ‘Stick with the Dancing’ to NY’s Patchogue Theatre October 23 2023

“Stick with the Dancing: Stories from my Childhood” is a new, one man show from Pauly Shore.

The actor and comedian intimately talks about his life, career, ups and downs, growing up at The Comedy Store, Beverly Hills high school, MTV days, opening for Sam Kinison, Playboy Mansion. This is not traditional stand-up comedy.

Tix for: Pauly Shore ‘Stick with the Dancing’ to NY’s Patchogue Theatre

Pauly Shore tasted super-stardom in 1990 when his MTV show “Totally Pauly” hit the airwaves to major fan approval.

The show ran for six years, leading Pauly to a one-hour HBO comedy special, “Pauly Does Dallas,” and starring roles in films like “Jury Duty,” “In the Army Now,” “Bio-Dome,” “Encino Man,” “Son In Law,” and “A Goofy Movie.”

Pauly went on to produce and star in several of his own projects, including “Pauly Shore is Dead,” as well as the comedy specials “Vegas is My Oyster,” on Showtime starring Andy Dick, Tom Green, Bobby Lee, and “Pauly-Tics,” on Showtime starring Herman Cain and Larry King. In 2014, he released “Pauly Shore Stands Alone,” a true-life road documentary that follows Pauly as he performs in obscure towns throughout Wisconsin while dealing with his personal life. It appeared on Showtime and is available on Amazon Prime and YouTube.

Other recent projects include Adam Sandler’s “Sandy Wexler,” the short film “Sin City Psycho” Dreamworks’ animated “The Big Trip,” Lionsgate’s animated film “The Little Penguin: Pororo’s Dinosaur Island Adventure” and the indie feature “How it Ends” starring Whitney Cummings, Olivia Wilde, Nick Kroll and more. Pauly also starred in the movie “Guest House,” which is currently streaming on Netflix (digital and on-demand). In 2022, Pauly voiced characters in Dreamworks’ “Pinocchio: A True Story” and “My Sweet Monster.”

Pauly released a series of video interviews in 2017 called the “Pauly Shore Podcast Show.” His guests included Judd Apatow, Iliza Shlesinger, Bob Saget and more. Pauly also hosted a podcast called “Pauly Shore’s Random Rants” which you can find on Bill Burr’s All Things Comedy, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher and YouTube. Pauly also creates fun content for his fans, including a five minute workout show called Sweatin with the Wiez, recreation of iconic movie scenes called “Classic Scenes from Classic Movies” and music videos with his band ‘Pauly Shore and The Crustys – all of which can be seen on YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok.

Apart from actively touring the country with his stand-up comedy, Pauly is working on a documentary of his life that spans the ’70s, ’80s and ’90s along with a memoir called “How’d You Expect Me to Turn Out” and a one man show about his life entitled “Stick with the Dancing: Funny Stories From my Childhood”.

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Big Flavor in The Big Easy: The New Orleans Wine & Food Experience 2023 runs June 7 – 11

By Joe Wehinger — 2 years ago

The New Orleans Wine & Food Experience 2023 runs June 7 – 11 Uncorks Grand Plan and New Venue

The New Orleans Wine & Food Experience announces that a limited number of exclusive ticket packages and all individual event tickets are now on sale for the five-day event set for June 7 – 11.

“This year, we have enhanced our three big events—

Vinola, Tournament of Rosés, and our Grand Tasting…

making them bigger and better than ever before and moving them to new venues,” said Aimee Brown, NOWFE Executive Director.

“In response to high demand, we have added special ticket packages for those attendees looking to spend a few days with us.

And, for the many locals that love to attend our events, we offer the individual ticket option to fit personal schedules and lifestyles.”

Vinola at the The New Orleans Wine & Food Experience

Vinola, the highest-level tasting event NOWFE offers, kicks off at the historic Orpheum Theater on Thursday, June 8, at 6 pm.

Foodies and oenophiles of all experience levels will sample rare and highly valued wines expertly paired with delectable foods crafted by local chefs. Winemakers will present elite wines from around the world, and award-winning chefs will serve and talk about their food and what inspires them in its creation. Guests will have the chance to have one-on-one conversations with winemakers and chefs. Tickets are $215 each. VIP tickets are $280 and include 30-minute early entry and VIP lounge access.

Tournament of Rosés

Back for the fifth year, the Tournament of Rosés is moving to The Fillmore on Friday, June 9th, at 7:00 PM. Tickets to this special event are $129 per person.

The Tournament of Rosés offers guests a unique opportunity to taste premier rosés, both still and sparkling, from France, Spain, Italy, the United States, and the Southern Hemisphere, and then cast a vote for a favorite.

Best of Show, Gold, Silver, Bronze and the People’s Choice Award will be announced.

New this year, a specialty sparkling sector featuring bubbles beyond the Rosé realm and a spirited cocktail garden. Tasty bites will accompany each wine served. Guests are encouraged to come “dressed to impress” with a touch of pink. VIPs gain 30 minutes of early access to this event.

Grand Tasting at the The New Orleans Wine & Food Experience

Also, new this year, NOWFE will host one Grand Tasting on Saturday, June 10, from 3 – 6 pm at Generations Hall. General Admission tickets are $149 before event week when they increase to $169. The Grand Tasting VIP a la carte price is $215 per person and includes early admission at 2:30 pm and access to a VIP lounge. The Grand Tasting at NOWFE showcases wines from around the world and food served by New Orleans’ finest chefs.

NOWFE once again closes its 5-day event with Burlesque, Bubbly & Brunch on Sunday, June 11, from 11 am – 1 pm at the Omni Royal Orleans. Tickets to this titillating event are $95 each.

Join Trixie Minx and her Burlesque Beauties for a one-of-a-kind NOWFE experience with a plated brunch prepared by the chefs at the Omni Royal Orleans, bottomless sparkling wine by Luc Belair, and a burlesque performance you are sure to remember.

In addition to the special events, NOWFE presents its Labs and Experiences on Friday and Saturday. Five Labs will occur each day at the New Orleans Culinary & Hospitality Institute at various times, while five boutique Experiences will occur over the two days throughout the city. Ticket prices vary for the Labs and Experiences.

The three levels of event ticket packages available this year are:

The Tasting Package — $258 per person

This package gives a “taste” of the main events this season. It includes entrance to:
· Tournament of Rosés
· The Grand Tasting

The Connoisseur Package — $793 per person

This package is for the wine and food enthusiast looking to be a part of the entire NOWFE experience. It includes 30 minutes of early entry and the following:

· Vinola

· Tournament of Rosés

· The Grand Tasting

· Choice of four (4) Labs

· 10% Discount on Additional Labs

· $20 Voucher to Use at NOWFE Merchandise Store

The VIP Package — $1000 per person

Upgrade to the VIP Package! This ticket allows you to experience the event at the highest level. It includes 30 minutes of early entry, access to VIP areas, and the following:

· Vinola

· Tournament of Rosés (early entry)

· The Grand Tasting (VIP)

· Choice of five (5) Labs (with priority seating)

· 10% Discount on Additional Labs

· $20 Voucher to Use at NOWFE Merchandise Store

For more information or to purchase additional tickets, visit nowfe.com.

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