Taste Puglia in the Bay Area 

November 12 through November 16

 

Eat, drink, and be Italian for a week as the most authentic flavors of Puglia, Italy will be showcased in a number of outstanding restaurants throughout the Bay Area. This is a treasured gourmet opportunity to enjoy Italian delicacies without flying to Italy, at least for now. With the goal of promoting Italian culinary traditions and food-and-wine connoisseur-ship as a distinctive trait of Italian identity and culture, the Week of Italian Cuisine in the World was kicked off by Lorenzo Ortona, the Honorable Consul General of Italy (yes, he is a wonderful chef!) at the packed reception with the food, wines, and music of Italy at the Consulate of Italy in San Francisco.

 

This delicious gourmet journey will continue in a number of fabulous restaurants. The concept is based on a few key points: bring forth high-quality cuisine, safeguard and promote Italian products, and create narratives of the Italian territories. Another objective is to enhance the sustainability of the food and wine system, through culture, education, and tourism. Look for the special Italian menus offered at participating restaurants rated by the Accademia della Cucina Italiana of San Francisco, as they celebrate the cuisine of the Puglia region of Italy this year. Michelin star Master Chef Maria Cicorella, the unofficial culinary Ambassador for Puglia is expected to attend.

 

Here is the list of the leading Bay Area Italian restaurants participating in pampering your palate: 

In San Francisco: A16; Acquerello ; AltoVino ; Cento Osteria; Ideale Restaurant; La Ciccia; Montesacro Pinseria-Enoteca; Perbacco; Piccino; Poesia Osteria Italiana; Ristorante Milano; The Italian Homemade Company; 54 Mint Ristorante Italiano.

In Oakland: A16;

In Palo Alto: Italico; Terun;

In Napa: Bistro Don Giovanni

In Sonoma: Mamma Tanino

In Berkeley: Riva Cucina; Donato & Co.

In Alameda:C’era Una Volta

In Redwood City: Donato Enoteca

 

Buon Appetito!

 

 

Photos of Consul General of Italy the Honorable Lorenzo Ortona and Viola Buitoni courtesy of  Consulate General of Italy

 

 

 

Chicago Comes to San Jose

November 15 through November 18

 

San Jose welcomes the return of Broadway’s record-breaking, Tony Award-winning musical smash Chicago to San Jose’s Center for the Performing Arts. The longest running musical, set amidst the razzle-dazzle decadence of the 1920s, Chicago tells the story of Roxie Hart, a housewife and nightclub dancer who maliciously murders her on-the-side lover after he threatens to walk out on her. Desperate to avoid conviction, she dupes the public, the media and her rival cellmate, Velma Kelly, by hiring Chicago’s slickest criminal lawyer to transform her malicious crime into a barrage of sensational headlines, the likes of which might just as easily be ripped from today’s tabloids. Based on a legendary book by Fred Ebb and Bob Fosse, music by John Kander, and lyrics by Fred Ebb, Chicago is now the #1 longest-running American musical in Broadway history. Time magazine calls it “A triumph,” Newsweek raves “Smashing” and Entertainment Weekly sums it up by calling Chicago “Broadway’s most electrifying show.” A must see and not to be missed, this is one of the most fabulous and exciting shows on Broadway. You may recall the movie based on this musical was awarded six Oscars at the 75th Academy Awards in 2003, including Best Picture, Best Supporting Actress for Catherine Zeta-Jones, Best Art Direction, Best Set Decoration, Best Costumes, Best Sound, and Best Editing. Intrigued? Fascinated? Get you tickets now to observe the action of Chicago in San Jose.

 

Tickets and Information
Prices start at $43
Call 800-982-2787 for tickets and additional information
broadwaysanjose.com
San Jose’s Center for the Performing Arts
255 S. Almaden Blvd. in San Jose

 

Photo courtesy of Broadway San Jose

 

 

 

Artist Bruce Munro Illuminates Montalvo in Saratoga Hills

Now through March 8, 2019 

“Bruce Munro at Montalvo: Stories in Light,” a world premiere of a mesmerizing exhibition by internationally-acclaimed artist Bruce Munro, lit up the magnificent grounds of the Montalvo Arts Center, located on 175 acres in Saratoga Hills. Montalvo is illuminated by 10 of Munro’s light-based works throughout the center’s lawns, gardens, terraces, and historic structures in his first public West Coast exhibition. Inspired by the artist’s readings of C.S. Lewis’s Chronicles of Narnia, these installations range in scale from enormous and immersive to intimate, utilizing hundreds of thousands of bespoke components to construct multi-hued waves, clusters, cascades, flocks, and seas of light, transforming the historic Montalvo Villa and its extensive public areas into a breathtaking attraction of spectacular illumination. This is the largest number of works by Munro ever on public display at a single venue. It is virtually impossible to describe the stunning beauty of Munro’s installations – you must see it! It is truly magical. Make it a special outing on Family Nights, which also include art-making activities and youth-oriented tours. Ten special “Munro Suppers” offer sit-down gourmet dinners in the historic Villa before heading out to view the striking exhibition. Find out more about the menus and reserve your seats at munromontalvo.org/dining. Located in Silicon Valley’s Saratoga Hills, the Montalvo grounds include a 1912 Mediterranean-style villa, its formal gardens and two-acre Garden Theatre, and 175 acres of trails through redwood trees.

 

Tickets and Information
Prices start at $15; Tickets must be reserved in advance for specific dates
(408) 961- 5858
montalvoarts.org
Montalvo Arts Center
15400 Montalvo Road in Saratoga
Photos courtesy of Mark Pickthall and Serena Munro

 

Veteran’s Day Celebration in San Francisco

November 3 at 7PM

 

Travel back in time to a USO-style dance at the Officers’ Club in its World War II heyday! Light up the city’s most historic dance floor as you and your partner swing to the 1940s rhythms of The Royal Society Jazz Orchestra, and enjoy classic cocktails available for purchase. Military/vintage dress is encouraged – they’ll even round out the night with a costume contest! Doors open at 7PM, no early admittance, please. Come early to take a walk in the exquisite setting of the Presidio with its magnificent vistas all around. This should definitely inspire somebody to compose a song: “San Francisco the Beautiful!”  Do you hear me, Mark and Zev?

 

Tickets and Information
Free admission
www.presidio.gov
Presidio Officers Club
50 Moraga Avenue in San Francisco

 

Photograph by J. Baylor Roberts / National Geographic Creative

 

 

Lina Broydo immigrated from Russia, then the Soviet Union, to Israel where she was educated and got married. After working at the University in Birmingham, England, she and her husband immigrated to the United States. She lives in Los Altos Hills, CA and writes about travel, art, style, entertainment, and sports. She hardly cooks or bakes, with no borsch or piroshky on her home cooking menu. Therefore, she makes reservations and enjoys dining out, mostly sushi.