Category Archives: wine

L.A. Weekender: Hockey, crawfish, art and wine

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It’s almost the weekend! We are wrapping up the Los Angeles International Wine Competition here at Fairplex and are getting ready for Food Truck Thursday, Preakness and our other weekend happenings. As for you, there is plenty to see, do and taste throughout all of Los Angeles…

Photo taken  from Examiner

Go Kings Go!: If you’re a hockey fan, you might want to start your weekend a little early and hightail it over to the Staples Center to see the L.A. Kings face off against the San Jose Sharks in the second round of playoffs. Whether you have nosebleed seats or the best seats in the arena, it’s sure to be loud, wild and tons of fun.

Dominick’s Annual Crawfish Boil: If you’ve had enough of L.A. fare (quinoa, kale, organic everything) and want to escape to the South for a couple hours, stop by Dominick’s Restaurant on Saturday for Chef Brandon Boudet’s annual Crawfish Boil. The New Orleans native will be cooking 300 lbs. of live crawfish (flown over from Louisiana) for your dining pleasure.

International Museum Night at LACMA: If you’re looking for something slightly less rowdy than a crawfish boil, check out International Museum Night at LACMA. The agenda includes a series of lectures (“LACMA Exhibitions Around the World,” “Classic Maya” and “The Art of Looking.” KCRW will also be on hand to spin some low-key tunes along with two tasting stations. 

CRUSH: End your weekend with some light wine and food tasting down in Santa Monica at the 18th St Arts Center. Down a cocktail or two and enjoy food from some of the best (or so they claim) that Los Angeles has to offer and spend an hour or two letting your inner foodie out.

And if all else fails… It looks like it will be a beautiful weekend, perfect for a walk in the park, a picnic on the beach or just relaxing with the family at home :)

L.A. International Wine Competition: Day 2

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Los Angeles International Wine Competition employees prepare the wine for our judges

The wine judging began yesterday morning and continues strong today. Anyone walking into the ballroom will be greeted with a whiff of wine… a lot of wine. The sound of clinking glasses and the scratching of judges’ pencils and the sight of plates heaped with generous amounts of cheese, grapes, crackers and other pairings completes the scene.

Here are a few photos we’ve taken from the competition:

All lined up and ready to go

Judges

Reppin' Dodger blue in the judges room

The judges ended yesterday’s round with their own Table-to-Farm dinner out at McKinley’s Farm. Staying true to tradition, Chef David Teig prepared the feast right in front of the judges. A wide variety of foods was served, including a course of octopus. Vegetables, fruits and herbs were taken fresh from the farm (of course.)

Los Angeles International Wine Competition (TODAY!)

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The 74th annual Los Angeles International Wine Competition kicks off today at the Sheraton Fairplex Hotel. As we speak, our esteemed panel of judges (coming from around the world) are being welcomed and and settling in for two days of sipping, swirling and spitting as they go through thousands of wine entries.

We’ll be covering the event here on our blog but be sure to check Instagram and Twitter for up-to-the-minute coverage:

#lawinecomp
#purpleteeth
#spitacular

Follow along: @lawinecomp

Cheers!

Event Industry News: Coachella Round 1 – Success or a failure?

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coachella 2013Photo taken from Pretty Much Amazing

Coachella Round 1: The first weekend of this year’s music festival wasn’t quite up to par compared to last year. True it’s hard to beat a 2Pac hologram but when a headliner fails to draw crowds, it’s an issue. Still, Coachella is always a good time and the highlights were plentiful with a night of Phoenix and a surprise appearance by R. Kelly alongside solid performances by Blur, The Postal Service, Grizzly Bear and the Local Natives among others. Perhaps the biggest excitement was over a group that wasn’t even performing: Daft Punk.

Trend alert: Would you pay for a restaurant ticket? Most of us don’t think twice about cancelling or failing to show up at a restaurant. On the other side of the hostess desk it’s a whole different story. Now restaurants are taking matters into their own hands, creating a solution to the problem…and shame tweets are only the beginning. Trois Mec, about to open in Los Angeles has adapted a ticketing system where guests must purchase their tables in advance. The cost includes food, tax and tip so that diners need only to sit, enjoy their meal and walk out after. Several high-end restaurants have already adapted this form of payment though some owners hope to see the system trickle down into even the smallest of restaurants.

Sip, swirl and tweet: Breaking away from traditional wine tasting, Canada’s Open Wines invited guests to sample wine … and enjoy a full-fledged party. Partnering with Narrative PR and Bensimon Byrne, the wine company encouraged guests to “#BeOpen” and participate via Twitter to access all the event happenings. Using wristbands and smart phones, guests were encouraged (via tweets) to check out various games, treats and other stations in the venue.

Ah, Youth: A recent survey conducted by Piper Jaffay reports that Facebook and YouTube are losing popularity with teens. And considering how teens are responsible for $819 billion in consumer spending, marketers need to start finding new ways to influence these youths. The same survey revealed that social media still influences consumer purchasing decisions. So the question now is: which platform to target next?

Technology: CNet wrote a lengthy but eye-opening article on the innovation of smartphones and just where the technology is going, how it’s coming together and what that looks like for us.

Cabernet Sauvignon just got salty

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Photo taken from latimes.com

Mira Winery, based in Napa, California has begun experimental wine aging techniques by means of the Atlantic Ocean.

The inspiration came from the unique flavoring found in bottles of wine gathered from shipwrecks. The idea is to replicate the flavor with Mira’s own wine.

Bottles of cabernet sauvignon were placed in submersible cases designed specifically for the experiment and are expected to hang out on the ocean floor for a total of three months.

“The ocean has similar ideal elements that impact aging – temperature, pressure, humidity, pressure motion, light – or lack thereof – and oxygen,” said Gustavo Gonzalez, a Mira Winery winemaker. “Is there something just as impacting and interesting in aquaoir as there is about terroir? We are going to try and find out.”

[quote taken from L.A. times article]

How To: Choose Food and Wine Pairings

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Los Angeles International Wine Competition

“Anyone can choose food to go with wine,” you might think. “After all, the suggestions are right there on the bottle, and last I checked, crackers, cheese and wine were always a win.”

That’s true. But why be a boring host?

There are several elements to take into consideration when pairing wine and food together. Below are some helpful tips to keep in mind when selecting wine and food, taken from the experts at Wine Enthusiast Magazine. Enjoy!

Salt: “Salty foods seem to limit your wine choices. But with a bit of imagination, you can conjure up some remarkable combinations of salty foods and sweet wines. Bleu cheese and Sauternes is another one of the world’s classic food and wine combos.

Sparkling wines are a homerun with salty, fried foods. The carbonation and yeasty acids emulate beer and clean the salt from your palate, while adding more interesting textures and flavor nuances. Salt is also a principal flavor in briny seafood such as oysters. Acidic wines clean out the salt and balance the rich ocean flavors of the oyster.”

From life123.com

Fat: “A lot of our favorite meat and dairy products have high levels of fat. Wine doesn’t contain fat, so when matching a wine with fatty foods, remember that it has to balance that fat with acid, cut it with tannin, or match its richness with alcohol.

This is why a prime cut of steak tastes so good with a cabernet-based wine; the beef’s protein and fat softens up the wine’s mouth-drying tannins. This sets up the tongue for the wine’s fruit and berries and forest flavors to complement the smoky, meaty flavors of the steak.”

Texture: “As for matching textures, think light and heavy. Light foods are best with light wines; heavy foods with heavy wines. That’s the safest way to go about it. A more adventurous path is to experiment with contrast: matching light foods to heavy wines and vice versa. This will require more testing, to keep the tension dynamic and avoid having the lighter flavors over-shadowed by the heavy ones.”

Read about the other three elements of wine/food pairings and some suggestions on food over here.

2013 Event Trends Part 1

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You never know what is going to be the next big thing. Who would have thought Gangnam Style would go viral so quickly? Had anyone predicted the necessity of a smartphone in 2008? (Although I’m sure someone did.) My point being, it’s hard to predict what trends will be a hit. But we can certainly try! In this two-part series we will cover the different parts of event planning and how trends from other industries will affect us, starting with food.

Photo taken from bizbash.com

Food Industry Trends

We touched on this briefly last month but some new findings have surfaced…

  • The LA Times recently wrote an article reflecting on the increasingly popular food we call bacon. “Bacon is the new black,” writer Greg Braxton wrote and seeing as the Discovery Channel has a show revolving around that food group, I would say that sounds spot on.
  • Smokin’: Smoked meats, pastries, vegetables and even beverages are fast becoming a trend in the United States on both coasts.
  • Pig tails, pig cheeks: The NY Times describes pig tails as “rich, bony and gelatinous.” We’ll take their word for it. Pig cheeks, or guanciale are a unique alternative to traditional bacon.  It will be interesting to see what food & beverage pairings will emerge from these.
  • Infusing the healthy with the not-so healthy: Whether it’s adding more fruit to a decadent tart or mixing in quinoa and kale with entrees, chefs are creating dishes that please the senses and nourish rest of the body.

Technology/Social Media trends
Smartphone Mania: There is an increasing need to go mobile. The trends depend on the popularity of the concept, but any “next big thing” will likely come in the form of a mobile app and streamlined, multipurpose options, including using iPads and iPhones for event check-in and event updates. Going green is practically effortless.

Audience Engagement: On the social media front, engaging audience will continue to remain a top priority. The more tweets, comments, likes and shares an event gets from the crowd (whether virtual or in-person) will provide insight into audience impressions.

Stay tuned for part 2…

Upcoming Fairplex Events in 2013

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…And we are back!

As usual, the holiday season was jam-packed with parties. Fairplex and the Sheraton Hotel and Conference Center played host to a number of events towards the end of December and we aren’t slowing down in the slightest with 2013!

Some of our upcoming events include…

ArtReach 2013 (The Art of Food): The second annual regional high school art exhibition will showcase the artwork and talent of local students in the form of visual art work, the theme being food! Parents, friends and others in the community can check out the creativity at the Millard Sheets Center for the Arts.

Upland Lemon Festival: On the last weekend of April, the Upland Lemon Festival brings  the Upland community and surrounding areas together to celebrate the agricultural history of the town. Swing by downtown Upland and check out the rides, food competitions, Lemon Idol and other fun activities.


Los Angeles International Wine & Spirits Competition: 2013 marks the 75th annual wine competition at Fairplex with entries from around the world. We can’t wait to see (and taste!) the different wines, spirits and olive oils this year’s competitors will bring.

 

Kaboom!: Celebrate the 4th of July with us for a day full of motorcross, monster trucks and a spectacular fireworks show. Fairplex also offers a buffet to guests. It’s a great way to kick off the summer festivities.

 

L.A. County Fair 2013: It’s hard to picture the Fair now, with snow on the mountain tops and the heater on high, but before you know it, the L.A. County Fair will be up and running and the smell of deep-fried everything will float through the air.

 

Looks like 2013 will be full of fun and excitement for Fairplex!

 

The art of wining and dining

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Photo taken from FriendsEat

Contrary to what commercials would have you believe, beer isn’t the alcohol that brings people together. In my opinion it’s wine.

Fancy dinner? Wine. Date night? Wine. Girls night in? Wine. Pizza and football? Wine. Okay, maybe that last one is just me. The point is… wine is perfect for most occasions. In the words of Martin Luther, “Beer is made by men. Wine by God.” Just sayin’.

In just a few months, the Los Angeles International Wine & Spirits Competition is coming back to Fairplex for it’s 75th run. The competition is one of the most prestigious wine-tasting events in the United States.

The best part of the whole thing? All the award-winning wines are showcased at the L.A. County Fair as part of the wine education program which means some of the finest in wine and spirits are available to the public. Industry experts lead classes shedding light on wine and food pairings as wine tasting techniques.

Clearly we are all for the wine and dine deal here. But an article from the Washington Street Journal begs to differ. In fact, the author questions the necessity of studying food pairings so intricately at all. Read the article here.

Whether you agree with the article or not, you can’t deny the pleasures of eating a deliciously cooked meal and sipping a glass of the wine of your choice. Of course, it’s up to you how much research you want to put into your choice of food and beverage :)

As for me? I am looking forward to the end of the week when I can recline by my fireplace with a glass of Merlot in hand, as rain patters on the windows and Death Cab For Cutie plays softly inside. But again, maybe that’s just me.

What’s your favorite time to drink wine? And what’s your take on wine and food pairings?

Cheers!

Thanksgiving has ended, but the feast has just begun!

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Our annual Table to Farm Dinner is this weekend and preparations are almost completed. We are excited to welcome guest chef Fabrizia Lanza to Fairplex. Fabrizia is a professional chef at the world-famous Anna Tasca-Lanza cooking school in Sicily, Italy.

The evening includes cocktail hour meet & greet with Ms. Lanza,
a family-style dinner celebrating recipes from Ms. Lanza’s new
cookbook paired with wines from the Regaleali estate, Tasca d’Almerita, and medal winners from the Los Angeles International Wine & Spirits Competition.

 

We are eager to “travel” to Sicily and experience her fine dishes for ourselves!