Thursday, September 29, 2016

Casual Fridays at Walt Disney Concert Hall



CASUAL FRIDAYS AT WALT DISNEY CONCERT HALL

COME FOR THE MUSIC.
STAY FOR THE DRINKS.

Enjoy a magnificent concert, usually shorter and with intermission, preceded by an introduction from an LA Phil musician.  Then, stay for a TalkBack (Q & A) with the artists or mingle with orchestra members and fellow concertgoers.  This year's series includes music by Ravel, Stravinsky, Mozart, and Haydn.  Conductors include Gustavo Dudamel, Pablo Heras-Casado, and Mirga Grazinyte-Tyla.  Soloists include Emanuel Ax, Stephen Kovacevich, and Augustin Hadelich.  For 2016/17, the LA Phil has partnered with the Los Angeles County Brewers Guild to host complimentary beer tastings on casual Fridays.

After each performance, you'll be treated to a TalkBack, a Q & A with the artists on stage. Then, you'll be invited to connect with members of the orchestra and fellow music lovers in BP Hall where you can sample the best in local craft beers...on the house!

For more information and tickets:

1/27: Dudamel & Emanuel Ax http://bit.ly/WDCH_Calendar_dudamelax
3/31: Mirga Conducts Mozart & Haydn http://bit.ly/WDCH_Calendar_mozarthaydn

This is a fantastic opportunity to enjoy live music along with craft beer in a unique setting at the Walt Disney Concert Hall.



Tuesday, September 27, 2016

7th Annual Brew Ha Ha Recap

This past Saturday, September 24th, one of my most favorite events of the year took place, the Brew Ha Ha.  This year marked the seventh year the Brew Ha Ha has taken place, which is quite the accomplishment!  The Brew Ha Ha took place once again in the picturesque Oak Canyon Park.  I really love this venue, it feels as if you are far outside of the metropolitan area of Orange County, when in fact you aren't very far from major freeways.


Waiting to enter Brew Ha Ha
As in past years, the Brew Ha Ha was held on a warmer than normal day, even though it is officially fall, the weather doesn't seem to realize this.  Thankfully, there are lots of shady spots throughout the event grounds as well as misting stations which make it easy to cool off in between sipping on delicious beers.


Picturesque Oak Canyon Park
This year, as in year's past, there was a collaboration beer made exclusively for the Brew Ha Ha.  This year a local brewery, Bottle Logic Brewing and a San Diego brewery, AleSmith Brewing Company worked together to create Stable Orbit.  The collaboration beer will be available in Southern California in both bottles and on draft.  This limited edition beer has an 8.5% BV and features several South African hops: African Queen, Southern Passion, Southern Star, and XJA2.  Stable Orbit was definitely a stand out beer of the day.


Line for Stable Orbit

Stable Orbit, worth the wait!
Other stand outs of the day were Founders Brewing Dirty Bastard Scotch Ale and Mike Hess Brewing 8 West.  There were a wide variety of beers, which, as always, made it easy for everyone to find something to enjoy throughout the event.


Founders Brewing Dirty Bastard Scotch Ale

Mike Hess Brewing 8 West





















Besides beer, the Brew Ha Ha, as usual had a great assortment of food options available throughout the event.  From food trucks to restaurants booths, there were many different types of food available.

Haven Gastropub
Sweet Temptations treats made with beer are always a great idea!
   
Slater's 50/50
Throughout the venue, there were games for attendees to play as well as live music.  This helps to break up the event and also ensure that people are taking breaks in between enjoying the ample selection of beers.






  



Once again, the organizers of Brew Ha Ha put together an amazing event.  I am super excited to see what other events they organize.  One event that I am really looking forward to is the upcoming Ye Scallywag! wine, beer, food, and festival which takes place on October 22nd in San Diego.  I know that it will be another epic event, since the organizers of Brew Ha Ha are involved!  If you haven't already secured your tickets, I highly recommend you do so.

Cheers to another rad Brew Ha Ha!

Sunday, September 25, 2016

Ye Scallywag


I am SO excited for this year's debut of Ye Scallywag!, a day-long music, craft beer, wine, and food festival, to take place on Saturday October, 22nd at Waterfront Park in San Diego, CA.  Produced by premier musical festival production company Synergy Global Entertainment (SGE), Orange County, California's most successful and respected craft beer festival producer Brew Ha Ha Productions, San Diego's leading alternative radio station 91X, and California's top rock radio station KFM-BFM, the festival will feature over 100 craft breweries and artisan wineries, along with a full day of music led by NOFX and Bad Religion.

"Scallywag! will be unlike any legitimate craft beer or wine event ever produced," says Ye Scallywag! co-producer Cameron Collins of Brew Ha Ha Productions.  "We are bringing in some of the most sought after and award winning breweries in the country as well as some incredible wineries from Paso Robles, the Napa Valley, Central Coast and beyond all set to the music of artists like Bad Religion.  We've really got something special here!"

91X's Halloran adds, "Ye Scallywag! will be the perfect San Diego event to make one truly grateful for this wondrous California lifestyle.  The craftiness of the beer, wine, food and bands will prove that indeed, San Diego has the best.  I am looking forward to an amazing day."

Fat Mike of musical headliner NOFX says, "When I started NOFX in 1983 I dreamed of being a scallywag one day, at least by the time I was 50.  Well, not only am I a scallywag, but I'm also playing the Scallywag Festval!  
P.S. What's a scallywag? Is that like being a pirate?"

Some of the breweries participating include: Left Coast Brewing, Mikkeller SD, Modern Times, Coronado Brewing, Fall Brewing, Good Beer Co, Figueroa Mountain Brewing, Ska Brewing, Artifex Brewing, Bottle Logic, Burning Beard, Chapman Brewing, Bootleggers Brewing, 101 Ciderhouse and many more!

I know where I'll be on October 22nd, what about you?  Tickets are available while supplies last here.


Monday, September 12, 2016

Game Day Snacks Featuring Sartori Cheese

Last week, I was asked by #FoodieChats to create some game day snacks using Sartori Cheese.  I was so excited to participate!  A package arrived on Friday with three types of cheese from Sartori Cheese as well as a Green Bay Packers hat.



My boyfriend and I quickly started brainstorming ideas for what we would create.  Of course, we also had to make sure that we included beer with our game day snack foods.  We decided to make three items, featuring the three cheeses that were sent from Sartori Cheese.  We also decided to make sure to include the San Diego Chargers as well as use a cutting board in the shape of the great state of California!


First, we made cheese football crackers using the Chipotle Bellavitano cheese.  


Next up, we made bite sized grilled cheese sandwiches with apple slices, Sartori Montamore cheese and drizzled it with honey.  


Finally, we used chicken apple sausages with marinara sauce topped with Sartori Reserve Tuscan Blend Shaved cheese.


Cheese Football Crackers

Ingredients:
8 ounces Sartori Chipotle Bellavitano
4 tablespoons butter
1 cup flour
5 tablespoons Left Coast Amber Lager Una Mas
1 teaspoons sea salt



Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a stand mixer with dough hook.
Once a ball of dough is formed, roll out the dough and cut into desired shape.  In this case, we used a pizza cutter to create the football shapes as well as to score the lines on the crackers.
Bake at 375 degrees for 15-18 minutes.

Chicken Sausage with Marinara

Ingredients:
One container of Sartori Reserve Tuscan Blend Shaved cheese
One package of chicken apple sausages
One small container of marinara sauce
One package of hot dog buns
1 can Oggi's Tomlinson 21 SIPA


Directions:
Boil sausages in beer, finish off on grill.
Top sausages with marinara sauce and cheese.

Grilled Cheese with Apple

Ingredients:
Sartori Montamore cheese 
2 slices sourdough bread
Butter
1 Granny Smith apple
Honey

Directions:
Preheat skillet over medium heat.
Butter both slices of bread with desired amount of butter.
Place bread butter side down in skillet and add slices of cheese and apple.
Butter the second slice of bread and place butter-side up on top of sandwich.
Grill until lightly browned and flip over.
Cut sandwich into small slices.
Drizzle with honey as desired.