By Kaye Cloutman Main photos courtesy of Rocco Ceselin When you finally have an opportunity to visit the winery of a brand you’ve loved and served to guests over the years, the feeling you’ll get upon entering its doors is beyond invaluable. Grgich Hills Estate has been one of my go-to wines for some time now, especially when I’m not very familiar with a restaurant’s menu. Their wines pair easily and beautifully with any dish and I am never disappointed because from whites to reds, Grgich Hills Estate’s wines are clean, natural and have great acidity that makes your mouth water, which is why it works well with food. The wine has also...

A brilliant food writer or talented chef may be able to whip up a perfect soufflé or write a recipe header that will move readers to tears – but can he or she do that in front of a camera while answering questions from a host and hitting all the right message points all in less than three minutes? A masterful media appearance takes skill and practice which The Lisa Ekus Group offers through their media training program. A special seminar on May 21, 2013 in Hatfield, MA will bring together a group of 12 culinary professionals to sharpen their skills by learning from veteran media trainer Lisa Ekus, who has worked with hundreds of culinary...

Featured icon image courtesy of Vicki Strickland Perfectly situated under the face of the Stag’s Leap Palisades lays Robinson Family Vineyards hillside property. On the 78 acres you will find the highly visible outcropping of the Stag’s Leap cliffs. The hills are covered with aging oak trees, 7 acres of hillside vineyard, and their grandmother’s charming hand built log cabin. At the rear of Grandma’s house, dug into the mountain slope is the small boutique winery housing their estate grown wines, which consist of cabernet sauvignon, merlot, cabernet franc and malbec. Their vineyard is located in an ideal setting....

By Kaye Cloutman Gourmet’d out!?? I’ve often been asked by a lot of people for  modestly priced places to eat in Napa and I’m happy to say that I finally found one yesterday. BISTRO SABOR on first street – their food was totally off the hook and the customer service – priceless! Ariel Ceja (and the rest of the Ceja family) has made hospitality an art form. The great thing about it too is that if you feel guilty for indulging (believe me, you won’t be able to help it), there’s salsa dancing until 1:30 am to burn those calories away! Top picks are the carnitas and salmon tacos, and ceviche platter....

By Annabelle Pericin Photography by Quinn Ung February typically is the month when we exemplify love on Valentine’s Day, and Sacramento expressed their love of fashion this year by officially launching their fashion week at the end of February. SACFW had a packed week full of events which included a fashion forum, model boot camp, and a hair and makeup workshop. The Spring/Summer and Fall/Winter Designer Showcases featured local and Bay Area designers and left us anticipating next year’s Sacramento Fashion Week. The Fall / Winter Designer Showcase featured designs by Yennie Zhou, The Karisa Gold Collection by Karisa Gold, Tawnya Jackson for...

Images by VCrown Photography Casa Elías is considered the best Paella of the World. Cooked with socarrat, a crunchy layer of rice and local Saffron – the final piece is nothing like your usual paella dish. This restaurant only uses the best rice in the region and each paella, cooked on the spot in small batches over vine shoots, is given the kind of attention that can only result to a phenomenal fare! If you fancy rabbit and snails and celebrating extra special occasions – Casa Elias is the place for you. Location: Casa Elias Country: Spain Address: Rosales, 7, 03649 Monóvar, España Phone: (+34) 966.979.517 VCrown is a...

By Annabelle Pericin Photography by Quinn Ung  Besides being the state’s capital, Sacramento is centrally located about 90 minutes from San Francisco, 1 hour from Napa and just under 2 hours from Lake Tahoe. There are hidden gems and rising stars coming out of this town. While in Sacramento, here are a few to discover: Chocolate Fish Coffee Roasters Besides getting a great cup of espresso, this authentic New Zealand style coffee house located downtown is much more. They are true coffee enthusiasts! Relocating from New Zealand, owners Andy and Edie Baker brought their passion for coffee to Sacramento when they were disappointed with the...

Go behind the scenes with the outstanding team of Nicole Cook from Sacramento who delighted us with vibrant spring colors for our current issue. One of our top-notch submissions thus far. Watch the fabulous video by Ian Webb of the IN BLOOM Fashion editorial below. VIDEOGRAPHER: Ian Webb | ianswebb.com PHOTOGRAPHY BY: Nicole Cook | nicolecookphotography.com MODEL: Gabby Haugh MUA: Jill Briggs for Beauty Box Makeup Arts | beautyboxmakeuparts.com HAIRSTYLIST: Carie Bailon-MacDonald JEWELRY STYLIST: Molly Hills | stelladot.com/sites/mhills LOCATION: Eight American Bistro | eightgranitebay.com To see the entire fashion spread, check pages...

GEV Magazine Issue 7.0 By Gastronomique En Vogue Magazine 160 pages, published 3/20/2013 The hope we send to you this season is coming in the form of this our latest issue of GEV Magazine, replete with fresh spring ideas, recipes, imagery, interviews, and our unique blend of Food and Fashion. On The Cover: San Francisco’s Premiere Haute Couture Designer Colleen Quen showcase her celebrated creations at the Hotel Diva, Union Square San Francisco Photography by Vincent Gotti, Makeup by Carla Tersini and Hair by Josette Vigil-Jelveh Spring is finally in the air here at GEV Magazine! Here in the states, there is an old tradition called...

Michael has been very busy navigating wine country these days. With the early bloom of the mustard fields and the sweet pinkish blush of the cherry trees, Napa has been one busy Winter for tourists and visitors. Today, we showcase three of his recently visited spots in the valley. Ma(i)sonry Napa Valley The setting is reminiscent of a home or a private club, framing a highly edited collection of furnishings and artwork. The furnishings, ranging from 16th century to mid-twentieth century, are paired with contemporary works crafted by today’s top designers. The collections of art on display include Napa Valley favorites, the best in the...