The 75th anniversary of D Day will take place in France and include a squadron of World War ll airplanes flying from the U.S. Included is "The Spirit of Benovia", originally a C 47 taking supplies to Burma during that war. A tasting of Benovia wines from Sonoma took place at Santa Monica Airport and included  the owners and pilots of the aircraft which will soon be on its way to Europe.
As a World War ll veteran I attended and was able to relate how I was flown from Germany to France in a similar C 47 following my liberation after being a Prisoner of War in Germany.  At that time I was a nineteen year old Rifleman in the 106th Division and was captured, with all in my regiment, three days after the Germans opened their final offensive in a battle which became know as Battle of the Bulge.
The Spirit of Benovia will leave Santa Rosa on May 13 on its long journey to France as one of what is called the D Day Squadron. It includes 30 other restored C 47 which were the planes that dropped American and British paratroopers into France on June 6, 1944 to launch the D Day invasion.   In France many events will mark the 75th anniversary including a dramatic drop of hundreds of paratroopers.   All to honor the thousands of American and British soldiers who lost their lives on D Day and in the many days of fighting that followed.
The Spirit of Benovia has a full and colorful history starting in 1942. The C 47 and C 53 Skytroopers  were used both in Europe and the Pacific for moving troops and supplies. During World War ll the Benovia supported the war against Japan by  flying  men and  supplies over the Himalayas from Burma to China.  After the war the plane saw civilian service in China and later with the CIA on covert missions.  It was acquired by Joe Anderson and Mary Dewane, co-founders of Benovia Winery in 2008 when it was renamed The Spirit of Benovia.  Since then the plane has been used to honor World War ll veterans and their families.
After the D Day celebration is over the Benovia will remain in Europe to take part in the 70th Anniversary of the Berlin Airlift.  Again all types of the Douglas DC 3 and C 47 planes will take part along with German Junkers Ju-52.
At the Santa Monica send-off event the Benovia wines poured included 2017 Russian River Valley Chardonnay, 2018 Rose of Pinot Noir and two Pinot Noirs, one 2017 and the second an estate 2016 vintage.  As those in attendance sipped the wines Joe Anderson related the schedule and route the Spirit of Benovia will take on its epic flight.

It was entitled ‘Experience Austria Showcase” and  designed to educate the media on just what there was to see and do on a visit to a country that is legendary both for its scenic beauty and as a centuries old center for European arts and culture.
As a skier for much of my life this Writer had a priority to learn more about the Arlberg region and its heritage of alpine skiing.  Here we met Wilma Himmelfreundpointner, who besides being deputy director of the St. Anton Tourist Office has the longest name we have even encountered.  Innsbruck is the city where all this outdoor adventure is centered.
Another special interest for this Writer was Schonbrunn Palace in Vienna for when watching Classic Arts Showcase, our favorite TV show, often this Palace was the place where stunning performances of opera and ballet took place and were filmed.
Also in Vienna The Albertina which houses the Habsburg’s enormous collection of graphic arts including masterpieces by Money, Baselitzs and Picasso.
Our interest in classical music led us to meet Klemens Kolenz of the Salzburg Tourist Office for this is the birthplace of Mozart and the Stage for the Salzaburg Festival.  It was also the film location for ‘The Sound of Music”.
In all there were eighteen posts where one could  learn about Austria and what it offers the visitor.
Add to this was the luxury of West Hollywood’s Andaz Hotel and its stunning top floor assembly room offering dramatic views of Los Angeles all the way to the ocean.  Also showcased was the excellence of the Hotel’s culinary expertise  as guests were treated to exciting creative appetizers and sliders.   The beverages included Austrian styled cocktails and local wines not always available in the U.S.
To make an Austrian visit even more attractive was the news that starting in May there will be eight direct flight routes from North America to Vienna.

The Loire Valley is often described as the heart of France, both by geography and heritage.  Its wines enjoy a fame of their own, principally for the quality of the white wines produced in its many appellations.  But it also produces some outstanding red wines and one of the original places for Malbec, Gamay and Cabernet Franc
 For its famed white wines think Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc and Melon de Bourgogne.
 We had the opportunity to learn more about these Loire Valley wines when we attended the recent tasting entitled "Spring to Loire! The Loire Valley Wines' Day" presented  in Los Angeles. 
  At this event  importers presented a long list of  both white and red wines of the region.  It was also the opportunity to attend a  seminar on the “Terroir from the Loire Valley.”
  One of our goals at the tasting was try white wines from each of the Loire appellations. We  tasted  Melon de Bourgogne  from  the Muscadet Sevre et Maine region.
 Here we also tasted a one hundred per cent Chenin Blanc which is so identified with the Saumur region. 
 Moving on we  tried a  Sauvignon Blanc  from the  Sancere appellation.   At this point we started on the red wines, a Cabernet Franc from  the Chinon region.
 The Rose wine we tasted was  made from Grolleau and Gamay grapes and the Rose d''Anjou region.  We tasted an interesting red blend of Cabernet Franc, Pinot Noir and Malbec, called Cot in Loire.  It was from the Touraine appellation.
The seminar was conducted by Matthew Kaner of Bar Covell, who we already knew from past wine events.  Once again he gave an outstanding presentation.
Here we tasted six wines, four white and two red.  Both  red wines were Cabernet Franc, one from the Anjou appellation,  2016 Domaine Leduc Frouin and the other from Chinon, 2016 Marie de Beauregard.  All four white wines were Sauvignon Blanc,  2017 Chateau de Mongueret  from Touraine and the other from the Val de Loire, 2018 Attitude by Pascl Jolivet.   The two from Sancerre were 2017 Vincent Grall and 2017 La Guiberte by Alain Gueneau.
 It was our first  visit to The Grass Room where the tasting took place.  Located in  the Arts District of Los Angeles it proved an ideal location and we were impressed with the appetizers that were served with the outstanding wines.

The age old question for the restaurant writer is “why did it take so long to visit this restaurant?”  It was asked again when we arrived at Hummus Bar & Grill located in Tarzana only a short distance from where we live.
Once inside we knew right away that this was an exceptionally well operated restaurant with an excellent staff and an exciting Middle Eastern menu.  Mediterranean salads are a house specialty here and we soon had 20 small portions of each laid before us on the table just big enough to accommodate all of them.  They included Hummus, Chopped Liver, Egg Salad, Babaganush, Tabuli, Greek Eggplant, Moroccan Beet, Corn Salad, Spicy Fennel Salad, Warm Mushrooms and Garbanzo Beans.  We were especially interested in the Greek Eggplant which was very similar to the Companada we make at home.
With this two Pita breads are served, one a homemade Laffa with Zaatar.  The menu also shows a large selection of skewer served meats including chicken thigh, liver, breast and heart, a middle Eastern Kabab as well as lamb and beef.  We  had to try the freshly cooked Shawarma which can be served with either chicken or fish as well as the skewerd chicken livers.
There is a Kosher menu “Hamotzie Lechem Meen Haaretz”  that includes chicken thigh steak,  Rib Eye Steak, Angus burger and Pita Arayes.
Manager Reut told us the restaurant has been in operation for twelve years with two dining rooms and an exhibition kitchen.  Beverages include beer and wine with some Israel vintages included.  The restaurant also has a large take out business with three ways to order delivery.
Hummus Bar & Grill is located at 18743 Ventura Blvd., Tarzana with free off street parking.  Hours are Sunday thru Friday 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., Saturday 11 a.m. till midnight.  Delivery hours are 11 a.m. to 11  p.m.  Telephone 818 344-6606, web www.hummusbargrill.com, I Phone App Hummus Bar Chow Now.

From the moment we first entered Farmhouse Restaurant we knew that this was our kind of place.  Traffic on the west side of Los Angeles appears to get busier and more of it each passing day.  So it really matters now to know that parking will be available and a second mortgage on the homestead will not be needed to pay for it.
At Farmhouse the free valet parking at the adjacent Beverly Center means you enter  relaxed and ready to enjoy the serene atmosphere that matches perfectly the many choices available either at the bar and lounge, the informal counter or a table for some outstanding dining.  All with a charming rustic decor.
When the menu at Farmhouse proclaims that everything is from farm to table this is fact not fiction.  Nathan Peitso, who opened Farmhouse one year ago, calls himself Executive Farmer since he is from the second generation of Kenter Canyon Farms.
So when Nathan decided that a one year anniversary celebration was to take place we were back once again.  This time for Spring Menu Stations & Bites, Specialty Cocktails and the entertainment of a live country band.
Some of the favorites were included like the beef short ribs and Cacco e Pepe, spiced spaghetti.  Also the classic pizzas which are a house specialty.  These included the Margarita, Fennel & Sausage, Pepperoni and Mushroom.
The regular menu offers sea foods like salmon, prawns and scallops, and a beef favorite is the Tri Tip steak.
The Farmhouse Restaurant is located at 8509 W. 3rd Street in Los Angeles.  It is open daily from 11 a.m. and on weekends there is a buffet brunch.  Telephone 310 818 4925.

No area displays California’s diverse and scenic geography better than Sonoma County. Whether its rugged coastline fronting the Pacific Ocean, or the Russian River winding through hills and valleys, and all of it includes eighteen wine appellations.
These eighteen wine appellations have 495 wineries with eighty five percent family owned vineyards growing some sixty grape varietals.  Some of these appellations already enjoy fame that reaches far past Sonoma County and even the U.S.  They include Alexander Valley, Russian River Valley and Carneros as well as Chalk hill and Fountain Grove.
All of this was presented to us at a showplace tasting and dinner that took place in Los Angeles.   Hosting the event was Sonoma County Winegrowers President Karissa Kruse and Barbara Cox, director of marketing and communications for Sonoma County Vintners. Also Amy Landolt, Director of Marketing and Public Relations for Sonoma Winegrowers.  The event that took place at the Exchange Restaurant located in the Freehand Hotel in downtown Los Angeles also served to announce that Sonoma County Winegrowers  have now become a one hundred percent Sustainable wine growing region.
Some of the hallmark wines of the Sonoma appellations served that evening included Iron Horse Ranch & Vineyard, Catherine Bonneau Vineyard with Kate’s & B’s Vintages, Patz & Hall Wine Co., Walt Wines, Seghesio with Home Ranch Estate Wines and Hanna Vineyards.
For more information on upcoming events in Sonoma County check out www.WeAreSonomaCounty.com.  The excellent website for the winegrowers can be found at www.SonomaWineGrape.org.

History adds romance to wines and for this one must look to Europe.  We did just that recently when we attended a wine tasting dedicated to the region of Castilla y Leon which offers a rich heritage of Spanish history.
For example Quintana de Pidio which is home to Dominio Del Pidio Winery.  In this region for a thousand years wine has been made for ‘knights, abbeys and Castilian warriors”.  Here we tasted red, white and rose wines all from native varietals.
We had the opportunity to chat with Oscar Aragon Garcia, head winemaker for Cillar D Silos.  From Cesar Principe the classic wines of the region produced from Tempranillo grapes. 
All of this took place at the City Club perched on the fifty first floor on Flower Street in downtown Los Angeles.  In all five wineries were present as well as gourmet food products that are traditional to the Castilla y Leon region.
Many of the wines of the region are aged and stored in underground cellars dating back to the 16th century, and at Quintana del Pidio the showplace Santo Domningo de Silos Monastery.
How did we miss all of this when we visited Spain?