Saturday, February 16, 2019

An informal seminar and luncheon served to give some southern California travel media a new look and prospective  on what  almost every region of Nevada now offers visitors.  Our hosts were representatives of Travel Nevada and several regional visitor bureaus.   Heading the Travel Nevada group were Teri Laursen and Chris Moran.  Las Vegas Territory was represented by Earl Jobson.   As Chairperson Earl heads a group that boosts scenic regions that surround Las Vegas with the theme "Amazing Experiences Beyond the Neon".
Jamie Lokan was present as Tourism Sales Manager for Reno Tahoe while Tom Lester represented Elko Convention Center as Tourism & Convention Manager.
 We had a long conversation with Earl on some of the interesting side trips offered in places like Mesquite, Moapa Valley, Good Springs, and the Valley of Fire.
A most welcome encounter occurred when we met  a long time acquaintance who had been of so much support on previous trips to Laughton and its picturesque and scenic surroundings.  She is Meg McDaniel of the Las Vegas Visitors  Authority based in Laughlin.  This event gave up the opportunity to catch up to current happenings.
The event took  place the Farmhouse Restaurant located on the corner of La Cienega and Beverly Blvd and Third Street.
Here we enjoyed a outstanding buffet luncheon as well as refreshments from the bar.
And we left with ideas for some fascinating stories on not just what Las Vegas offers but the whole state of Nevada as well.
A most welcome encounter occurred when we met  a long time acquaintance who had been of so much support to us  on previous trips to Laughton and its picturesque and scenic surroundings.  She is Meg McDaniel of the Las Vegas Visitors  Authority based in Laughlin.  This event gave us the opportunity to catch up to current happenings with her.
The event took  place the Farmhouse Restaurant located on the corner of La Cienega and Beverly Blvd and Third Street.
Here we enjoyed a outstanding buffet luncheon as well as refreshments from the bar.
And we left with ideas for some fascinating stories on not just what Las Vegas offers visitors but many other places in Nevada as well.

Thursday, February 14, 2019

The world famous Hollywood Palladium  proved to be the perfect place for the 2019 Kosher Food and Wine Experience.   The annual festival included both an afternoon event for trade and media and then an evening planned for fortunate ticket holders.
 For us it was a great opportunity to learn more about some of Israel's wineries and  vineyards.  Domaine du Castel is an example of how a modern winery has developed on lands that first grew grapes in biblical times.   It is located in the Judean Mountains with an elevation of 2500 feet and was founded in 1992.  A large number of varietals do well here including reds like Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot Syrah, Petit Verdot and Malbec.  The white  varietals include Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay,  Viognier and Gewurztraminer.
Carmel Winery is one of the oldest in Israel, founded originally by Baron Edmond de Rothschild.  Now Carmel has 3,500 acres of vineyards and operates four wineries.  Some of Israel's best known vineyard regions are Upper Galilee, Carmel Mountains and Judean Hills.
Yatir Winery is located in the South, near the Dead Sea, on reclaimed land that was once part of the Negev desert, but now reforested as the Yair forest.  Yatir makes Viognier, Rose and Yatir Mt Amsha, a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz , Petit Verdor and Merlot.
Tabor Winery is located in Galilee but its vineyards spread over Mt. Tabor and the Golan Heights.
All the classic varietals are grown in Israel with reds like Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Shiraz and whites like Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Gewurztraminer, Roussanne and Barbera Rose
 Also we noted a wine made as a blend of two Mediterranean varietals Marselan and Tanat..
 Another interesting grape original to Israel is Argaman which shows as a well balanced red wine.  It is produced by the Jezreel Valley Winery close to Hannton and Nazareth.
New to us was Psagot Winery which is located in the northern Jerusalem Mountain range.  Founded in 2003 Psagot now is distributing its wines to twelve countries.  It is currently expanding with a new winery and visitor center to be completed in 2020.
Wines from many countries were  on display for tasting including Herzog Wine Cellars of Oxnard as well as Teal Lake wines from Australia, and a large selection of Chateau wines from France.  Also wines from Spain and Italy.
 Some exciting foods were also offered providing tasty appetizers and specialties.  Award winning Tierra Sur Restaurant, located at the Herzog Winery in Oxnard was present. Harissa Restaurant & Catering showed appetizers by Alain Cohen, chef-owner..
La Gondola Restaurant in Beverly Hills was kept busy with its show of tasties and appetizers.  Also attracting a good deal of attention was  Yooshi Catering  of the San Fernando Valley with its elaborate offerings of Sushi.
 For  us besides the elegance of the Kosher event were memories of the Palladium going back to when it was hosting and broadcasting the big bands the  likes of Harry James, Stan Kenton, Benny Goodman  or  Glenn Miller.  

Saturday, February 2, 2019

History is exciting especially when you are actually living it.  That was certainly true when we gathered on the apron of Lyon Air Museum at John Wayne Airport and boarded a classic 1928 Tri motor Ford.
For this airplane was the first to offer passenger service and launch what has become a key player in world transportation.
The tri-motor Ford holds twelve people, two pilots and ten passengers.  As we boarded it meant a careful large step upward while keeping the head bent since headroom is marginal for anyone over about five and one half inches tall.  There are individual seats, each with a window, an asset that regretfully was not continued on airplanes.
From my seat I could look directly at the starboard engine and below the fixed landing gear.  Our takeoff was smooth and quick and there was much less vibration that I had anticipated.  The noise level is high making much conversation difficult.
Our Ford named "City of Port Clinton" was at John Wayne airport for three days offering 20 to 30 minute flights.  Once in the air we moved over Newport Beach and then followed the coast on to Huntington Beach and then a long circle route on returning to Wayne airport.  Landing was very smooth,  smoother than many jet flights I have been on. 
Our flight on the "City of Port Clinton" was as media but  other passengers were people interested in looking back and experiencing an earlier era in aviation.  Our Ford had one pilot and quite interestingly also aboard were his  aunt and nephew. who reside in Southern California.
Top speed for the Ford is about 125 miles an hour and the range of the aircraft about three hundred miles.  First passenger service was offered by a company  that later became Trans World Airlines.  If crossing the country the service included flights during daylight hours and then transfer to a train for night travel, then back to an airplane the next day.
The Tri motor Ford was the first mass produced airliner and the one we flew on now calls the Liberty Aviation Museum in Port Clinton, Ohio home.  From now until May it will be on tour in the west with stops at many cities.  For the schedule of these visits and opportunities to fly on the plane check the web at www.flytheford.org.
The tour is under the direction of the Experimental Aircraft Association, EAA which is based in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.  The EEA is celebrating its 50th year with  Oshkosh as headquarters with events planned each year.  The 2019 Fly-In will take place July 22-28, 2019.
This also proved to be our introduction to Lyon Air Museum.   We marveled on how after spending so much time in Orange County for decades we did not know it existed.  It was founded by Major General William Lyon with the mission of capturing the history of World War ll aviation.   This proved of much interest to this Writer, a World War ll infantry veteran, since he was actually bombed by B 17s while a prisoner of war.  One of these B 17s is at the museum as well as a B 25 bomber and also a C 47 transport plane used to carry supplies or airborne troops.  We flew from Germany to France in a C 47 after our liberation from a German POW camp.
Lyon Air Museum is located at 19300 Ike Jones Road in Santa Ana, Ca. 92707.  It is open daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., but closed on some holidays and special events.  For more information call 714 2`10-4585, on the web at www.lyonairmuseum.org.