Meet Brian Cant #withTownHall

By Leeann Froese It’s a new week to introduce you to one of the fabulous personalities in the world #withTownHall!

This does not mean they work as part of our team, or are our client (although sometimes in these posts they are).

We just interact with so many amazing people that we want to expand networks and introduce them to you, and you to them. This week #withTownHall, we introduce you to Brian Cant.

Brian works at the Tartan Group in Victoria focusing on travel and tourism public relations and is the chair of the BC Chapter of the Travel Media Association of Canada (TMAC).

Brian's passion for travel and the desire to share that passion to encourage people to grow during their travels is what brought him into the travel industry after a summer job working in the Rossland Museum. Brian has been able to work with Tourism Victoria and Destination BC in his career.

He joined the Tartan Group in 2011 as a senior communications coordinator and helps clients to develop and deliver stories to media.

We are happy to work with Brian through his chair position at TMAC, or when our clients overlap for collaborative efforts.

As a member of TMAC, Town Hall Brands has been able to attend some fantastic workshop events to learn from the industry, media and destination marketing organizations. And our own Amy Chen will be heading to the conference that is being held in Sydney, Nova Scotia in June!

The BC events are made by possible because of Brian's efforts along with the rest of the TMAC board, and the entire communications team has benefited from their March 'Star Wars' event.

With all of that said about Brian, will you please give a big hello to him?

Leave a comment below – or go give this post a like or share on Facebook or Twitter

Meet Natalie Browne #withTownHall

By Leeann Froese It’s a new week to introduce you to one of the fabulous personalities in the world #withTownHall!

This does not mean they work as part of our team, or are our client (although sometimes they are).

We just interact with so many amazing people that we want to expand networks and introduce them to you, and you to them. This week #withTownHall, we introduce you to Natalie Browne.

Natalie is a stay-at-home mom and food blogger who Town Hall Brands regularly has the pleasure of working with.

Her philosophy to food is straightforward: delicious, simple and mostly homemade. She shares recipes and food discoveries on her blog, Kitchen, uncorked, and believes by keeping those three guiding principles in mind with food you're already ahead of the health game.

Natalie loves cooking, recipe creation and generally being in the kitchen now but it wasn't until she moved out on her own that she was able to take charge and fall in love. It's possible she inherited some of her kitchen love from her grandma. Her grandma lives across the country, so Natalie makes sure to have fresh baked bread and recipes to discuss on hand for their visits.

I personally love the smoothie recipes she has shared, and have tried lots of them.You definitely need to try Natalie's goat cheese and mushroom tart paired with Serendipity wine.

With all of that said about Natalie, will you please give a big hello to her? What do you like to make that is healthy?

Leave a comment below – or go give this post a like or share on Facebook or Twitter

Meet Dino Pascoa #withTownHall

By Leeann Froese It’s a new week to introduce you to one of the fabulous personalities in the world #withTownHall!

This does not mean they work as part of our team, or are our client (although sometimes they are).

We just interact with so many amazing people that we want to expand networks and introduce them to you, and you to them. This week #withTownHall, we introduce you to Dino Pascoa.

After more than 20 years in the restaurant business Dino joined the wine industry in 2007 and trained through the ISG Sommelier certification as he made the move to sell wine from all over the world. He is a sales representative with Vancouver-based agency The Wine List.

Next year Dino will celebrate his 10th year in wine sales. Over the past decade he has proven his expertise in wine, food and service, and has a strong reputation for loyalty and a desire to go above and beyond for his customers. He prides himself on the solid relationships he has created.

We are pleased to work with Dino via our client ENCORE Vineyards, parent to Evolve Cellars, McWatters Collection and TIME Winery.

A side note about these wineries - their wines are featured all weekend at the 10th Anniversary of the Chefs' Table Society of BC Spot Prawn Festival.

With all of that said about Dino, will you please help us give a big hello to him?

Leave a comment below – or go give this post a like or share on Facebook or Twitter

Meet Lindsay William-Ross #withTownHall

By Leeann Froese It’s a new week to introduce you to one of the fabulous personalities in the world #withTownHall!

This does not mean they work as part of our team, or are our client (although sometimes they are).

We just interact with so many amazing people that we want to expand networks and introduce them to you, and you to them. This week #withTownHall, we introduce you to Lindsay William-Ross.

The lovely Lindsay is a foodie and senior editor at VancityBuzz and her first published piece was in 1980 in The Province; her letter to Santa Claus. If you love Vancity Buzz and its food section that's because of Lindsay! She currently runs the food section.

Although Lindsay grew up in Vancouver a fourth generation Vancouverite, she spent two decades in Los Angeles. During her time in LA, Lindsay was the editor-in-chief of the city's top blog, she earned her master's degree, attended culinary school, and put her master's to good use as a professor.

Town Hall is lucky to work with Lindsay collaboratively because of our foodie clients Well Seasoned: A Gourmet Food Store, the Chefs' Table Society of BC and all our winery PR clients. Lindsay has attended events Town Hall has hosted and been part of the Travel Media Association of Canada's (TMAC) events to help writers and media learn more about what an editor looks for.

We can't thank Lindsay enough for her support of our clients and we appreciate her love of the city and food.

With all of that said about Lindsay, will you please help us give a big hello to her?

Leave a comment below – or go give this post a like or share on Facebook or Twitter

Meet Jonathan Kinney #withTownHall

By Leeann Froese It’s a new week to introduce you to one of the fabulous personalities in the world #withTownHall!

This does not mean they work as part of our team, or are our client (although sometimes they are).

We just interact with so many amazing people that we want to expand networks and introduce them to you, and you to them. This week #withTownHall, we introduce you to chef Jonathan Kinney.

Chef Jonathan is a graduate of Northwest Culinary Academy (2008), and now he works at Northwest as assistant to the culinary and pastry programs and as head of media.

Jonathan grew up in a family where food was approached as fuel and he learned to cook at a young age. So after a BA in History and Geography from the University of Victoria, a Masters in Public Administration and 13 years of owning his own management consulting firm he decided to finally pursue his dream of a career in food.

After graduating from Northwest he worked at Culinary Capers Catering, plus did his own catering on the side.

A fun fact about Jonathan: he is a 10th generation Canadian!

With all of that to learn so far about chef Jonathan, will you please help us give a big hello to him?

Leave a comment below – or go give this post a like or share on Facebook or Twitter

ENCORE Vineyards to bring urban winery to downtown Penticton

  Town Hall Brands Client News                           Contact Sujinder Juneja 604-367-6745

Urban Winery Coming to Downtown Penticton

Former PenMar Theatre complex to take on new life as a winery & hospitality centre

[Penticton, BC] - ENCORE Vineyards Ltd., home to TIME Winery, McWatters Collection, and Evolve Cellars, announces it has purchased the former PenMar Theatre Complex (361 Martin Street, Penticton) and will be transforming it into an urban winery, the first in the South Okanagan.

The subjects have now been removed on the sale, paving the way for ENCORE to begin modifications on the building that will see it ready for wine production of the 2016 vintage.

The restored building will be home to a brand-new winery production facility, including a crush pad, barrel cellar, custom fermentation hall, lab, warehouse, and administrative offices. When open to the public, the visitor experience will include a tasting bar, a small plates lounge, a 40-seat outdoor patio, as well as a retail wine shop.

An onsite commercial kitchen will give the winery the ability to host public and private events. Banquet facilities and other offerings are being planned for the future.

In keeping with the community's desire to showcase local performing arts, ENCORE will maintain one of the theatres as a 75-seat movie, performance and event space for concerts, private functions and non-profit uses. Ultimately, this destination, multi-purpose winery, bistro and theatre will help to attract visitors to the area and assist with the revitalization of the downtown.

The PenMar is a historic site with a long history of arts and culture. Built in 1956, the theatre closed in 2012 after its then-current owners, Landmark Cinemas, moved into a multiplex location. An organization named the PenMar Community Arts Society attempted to raise enough money to restore the building, but was not able to raise the funds required. ENCORE Vineyards, who coincidentally contributed to the society's fundraising efforts, is pleased to be able to help preserve this historic building and contribute to the community.

Harry McWatters, president and CEO of ENCORE Vineyards says, "We are excited to share the next chapter of ENCORE Vineyards with our Penticton neighbours. Our aim is to create a downtown destination that the South Okanagan can be proud of, while preserving the legacy of this vibrant cultural landmark."

About Encore Vineyards:

ENCORE Vineyards Ltd., a progressive Okanagan-based company, is home to a number of wine brands, providing a host of wines and hospitality service. The ENCORE team has developed an unparalleled opportunity for investors to participate in the growth of its existing enterprise, substantial brand expansion, and premium brand acquisition opportunities. By consolidating certain operating, management, and marketing and sales strategies of multiple wineries, ENCORE will improve financial returns in what has the potential to be a high-margin industry. Learn more at encorevineyards.ca.

ENCORE has amassed an impressive team, poised to help define the next generation of Okanagan winemaking via its production of premium wines in the Okanagan Valley. The company is known for its labels including TIME Winery, Evolve Cellars and McWatters Collection. In 2016, ENCORE Vineyards expands, with new projects that further celebrate the spirit of the South Okanagan.

The ENCORE team is led by president and CEO Harry McWatters, a 48-year veteran of the British Columbia wine industry. Christa-Lee McWatters-Bond is the ENCORE marketing director, offering lifelong wine industry insight. Lawrence Buhler is ENCORE’s director of winemaking, who has experienced more than 15 vintages in Ontario, British Columbia, Chile, Argentina, and Australia. He will oversee the company’s growing portfolio of premium British Columbia wines.

Meet Row #38 at Okanagan Crush Pad #withTownHall

By Kathleen Beveridge It’s a new week to introduce you to one of the fabulous personalities in the world #withTownHall!

This does not mean they work as part of our team, are our client (although sometimes they are), or even are a person.

This week #withTownHall, is a little bit different as in celebration of Earth Day we introduce you to Row 38 at Okanagan Crush Pad's Switchback Vineyard-named after our own Leeann Froese.

If you weren't aware, Switchback Vineyard was certified organic last August so we thought we'd take today to celebrate a piece of the vineyard-especially since it allows us to show you many many #row38selfies!

Leeann likes to document her visits to Okanagan Crush Pad by taking selfies with her row and has encouraged her network to do the same! It's a fun way to connect through photos and celebrate the vineyard.

I should say that Leeann isn't the only one with a row named after her but she encourages selfies be sent to her when visitors come upon or seek out row 38.

These are just a few of those who have risen to the challenge.

Will you help us say hello to Row 38 and celebrate Earth Day this week?

Leave a comment below – or go give this post a like or share on Facebook or Twitter

Meet Tara Clark #withTownHall

By Leeann Froese It’s a new week to introduce you to one of the fabulous personalities in the world #withTownHall!

This does not mean they work as part of our team, or are our client (although sometimes they are).

We just interact with so many amazing people that we want to expand networks and introduce them to you, and you to them. This week #withTownHall, we introduce you to a colleague of ours, Tara Clark.

As you can tell from her photo Tara is fun, fabulous and full of energy!

But she's also a savvy business owner at Tara Clark Consulting, where she specializes in Digital Marketing for luxury leisure and fine wine clients that are hand picked and reflect her values and passions in life.

Tara works with Town Hall's PR client, Blue Grouse Estate Winery, as their Digital Marketer. Which means we are lucky enough to work with Tara where she provides collaborative digital marketing strategies and executes the plans with efficiency and effectively.

While it is still early in Tara's career, she was the Social Media Award Recipient in October 2015 for her work with Blue Grouse through Social Media is Simple blog. This is just the beginning for Tara and Town Hall is happy to count her as part of our network.

Working with fine wine brands Tara is a known #winelover (another reason we all love her) and as such is WSET Level II certified.

With all of that said about Tara, will you please help us give a big hello to her?

Leave a comment below – or go give this post a like or share on Facebook or Twitter

Meet Deborah Moore #withTownHall

By Leeann Froese It’s a new week to introduce you to one of the fabulous personalities in the world #withTownHall!

This does not mean they work as part of our team, or are our client (although sometimes they are).

We just interact with so many amazing people that we want to expand networks and introduce them to you, and you to them. This week #withTownHall, we introduce you to a colleague of ours, Deborah Moore.

Deborah truly lives by her motto “Work hard, Play Harder”. When she is not following stories for Fairchild TV and Pogo 616 TV or chatting with a wide variety of interesting guests on Fairchild Radio, Deborah is out living her life to the fullest.

It is hard to not find yourself living vicariously through the adventures she posts on her blog, whether it be cruising down to Seattle for the weekend, snorkeling with sea turtles in Hawaii or following her culinary experiences in Paris.

Deborah is also one third of the Three Gourmigos, a group of friends who love to explore Vancouver’s food scene (and beyond), share their experiences, and who recommend some of the best dishes in the city to their audience.

With all of that said about Deborah, will you please help us give a big hello to her?

Leave a comment below – or go give this post a like or share on Facebook or Twitter

Hot Photographer of Today Uses Wet Plate Collodion Technique of Yesterday

By Leeann Froese In today's digital age, it's easy to forget the roots of photography, when we can whip out our IPhones and take a photo with the tap of a screen in less than a couple seconds.

One renowned Vancouver photographer, Phillip Chin, is taking a step into the past and connecting with a pioneering method of photography called the Tintype Process, also known as Wet Plate Collodion Photography, which was introduced in the 1850s and thrived until the 1880s. Town Hall Brands' team had the privilege of getting their photos taken by him.

The process is not quick. Chin brought with him a light-tight tent as his portable dark room. To begin the photo process, a chemical called Collodion is poured over a plate of glass or aluminium. After this, the plate goes into a Silver Nitrate bath for three minutes, which makes the plate sensitive to light. The plate is then taken (in a plate holder to protect it from light) to a wet plate camera. The shutter is kept open for 6-10 seconds while the person being photographed sits very still.

Back in the 'darkroom', the plate is covered with developer. And then placed in a chemical (Chin used silver thiosulfate) which takes the negative image and turns it into an enchanting black and white photo.

Chin fell in love with photography all over again with the help of Wet Plate Collodion Photography because of the process and the hands-on nature of the craft. Unlike digital photography, a photo is taken every 15 minutes, and he remarks "you really have to put thought into each image to make it count. It also takes a great understanding your camera, chemistry and lighting," a challenge he was willing to immerse himself in.

With the help of Wet Plate Photography, Chin hopes to "capture the true essence of each subject [he] photographs" and "help people appreciate what a great photo really is".

Phillip Chin is a commercial photographer who has been shooting campaigns and images for clients across Canada for more than 25 years. He specializes in capturing images of people, and has had the pleasure of working with families, corporations, chefs, athletes and musicians in action. He shoots on film, digital, and now wet plate formats.

To learn more about Chin and his work, contact him in Vancouver (604) 874 2444, or by email at phillip2446@gmail.com

Meet Robert Clark #withTownHall

By Leeann Froese It’s a new week to introduce an amazing person  #withTownHall!

If you are new to reading this blog or new to our company - we want you to know that we are proud that we have a big network, and we are continually meeting new and interesting personalities.

This week #withTownHall, we introduce you to chef Robert Clark.

Robert Clark is a chef, small business owner, author and seafood guru.

He is the owner of The Fish Counter, a Chefs' Table Society of BC member and one of the founders of Vancouver's Spot Prawn Festival, which returns to the city for its 10 year celebration May 13-15 with a gala, cooking classes and the traditional festival with spot prawn boil.

It was 10 years ago that Rob realized the Spot Prawn industry in BC was backwards and we needed to celebrate this local, sustainable and delicious prawn and enjoy it in our own backyards.

Along with the Spot Prawn Festival, he was instrumental in helping the Vancouver Aquarium create the Ocean Wise program and as such is a recognized founding partner. If you visit the Aquarium you'll  stumble across a larger-than-life photo of Rob and we do encourage selfies with it.

Rob's championing of sustainable seafood has been a part of his award-winning career as a chef and as such he removed all red-listed SeaChoice seafood items from his menu more than a decade ago.

Curious about how to cook spot prawns? This is one of Rob's recipes you can try once the season opens on May 12 in advance of the Spot Prawn Festival. Or join Rob at the Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts on May 14 for a Spot Prawn class!

• Simply Poached Wild BC Spot Prawns.

With all of that said about chef Rob, will you please help us give a big hello to him?

Leave a comment below – or go give this post a like or share on Facebook or Twitter

Meet Bosco Mo #withTownHall

By Leeann Froese It’s a new week to introduce an amazing person  #withTownHall!

If you are new to reading this blog or new to our company - we want you to know that we are proud that we have a big network, and we are continually meeting new and interesting personalities.

This week #withTownHall, we introduce you to Bosco Mo.

Although Bosco is relatively new to Vancouver, having moved from Sydney, Australia (where he has lived for 15 years), he has already become a seasoned vet in exploring what the city’s culinary scene has to offer.

You can catch Bosco hosting on Fairchild TV or on Fairchild Radio AM1470 Modern Deborah every 2 weeks where he covers food and restaurant events in the city and chats with Deborah Moore about interesting food-related topics.

He also has his own site, Kim Bosco Eatalreadeee where he writes (mostly) about food.

Related to this, Bosco is also part of the Three Gourmigos; with Deborah Moore and William Ho by his side, this trio seeks out the Vancouver’s best dishes. This project was borne from the pure enjoyment of sharing meals together and has emerged as a go-to guide for fantastic eateries in greater Vancouver. Bosco's reviews have been featured in publications such as The One (Sydney) and What's In Mag (Vancouver).

Bosco is also member of the SeaChoice Ambassador Group that promotes sustainable seafood and a Health and Sustainability Contributor at www.rusticbuds.com.

When Bosco isn’t living a food centric lifestyle, you can find him springing off a diving board, as he trains under the coaching of Mr Boxi Liang, who coached the Chinese and Canadian national teams. Bosco has represented Australia in the 2009 Master Games and Canada in the 2014 World Master Games.

With all of that said about Bosco, will you please help us give a big hello to him?

Leave a comment below – or go give this post a like or share on Facebook or Twitter

Meet Genevieve Dufresne #withTownHall

By Leeann Froese Well its a new week to bring you an amazing person to meet #withTownHall!

If you are new to reading this blog or new to our company – we want you to know that we are proud that we have a big network, and we are continually meeting new and interesting personalities.

We want to make the world smaller by introducing people to each other - so sometimes our people #withTownHall are part of our team, sometimes they are clients, and sometimes, like this week, they are just cool people we want to introduce to the world.

This week #withTownHall, we are rolling in on #featurefriday to introduce you our intern - a rising superstar publicist - Genevieve Dufresne.

Born and raised on the West Coast, Genevieve grew up in the small town of Langley, British Columbia.

She now lives in Kitsilano, the ocean and mountains on her door step, and with all the cities and countries Genevieve has traveled to considered, she still believes there’s no place on earth like Vancouver.

This past January Genevieve returned home from backpacking Nicaragua. Often her favourite part of her travels are tied to eating. To her, the distinct local food and drink of a place are absolutely essential to experiencing it, and she’s been known to embark on scavenger hunts in order to track them down when on the road. (Same goes for beer. And wine.)

This, paired with her love for people, has naturally made her a good fit for the hospitality industry, where she continues to work as she studies Public Relations full time at Kwantlen Polytechnic University. PR excites Genevieve; ever since she can remember, she has grown excited when sharing thoughts, ideas and stories. The opportunity to dissect, analyze and discuss other peoples’ histories and experiences brings her great joy.

It was her recent interest in volunteering for the BC Hospitality Foundation that led Genevieve to Town Hall Brands.

We couldn’t be more thrilled to have her interning with the team learning the ins and outs of PR and communications while bringing her own unique insight and experience to the job.

Will you help us say hi and welcome Genevieve to #withTownHall?

Leave a comment below – or go give this post a like or share on Facebook or Twitter

Meet Dianne Chow #withTownHall

By Leeann Froese Well its a new week to bring you an amazing person to meet #withTownHall!

If you are new to reading this blog or new to our company – we want you to know that we are proud that we have a big network, and we are continually meeting new and interesting personalities.

We want to make the world smaller by introducing people to each other - so sometimes our people #withTownHall are part of our team, sometimes they are clients, and sometimes, like this week, they are just cool people we want to introduce to the world.

This week #withTownHall, we are rolling in on #featurefriday to introduce you to a fabulous blogger and socialite, Dianne Chow.

Dianne founded her blog Fabulously Frugal in Vancouver in order to help other frugal fashionistas, foodies and #winelovers living and struggling to save in Vancouver.

She proves that you can enjoy the finer things in life in Vancouver while maintaining a budget by sourcing out the best deals without sacrificing quality for quantity.

She owes her frugal mindset to her successful parents who built success from humble beginnings and never forget where they came from.

If you are itching for the hottest deals in fashion, food, wine and events you'll be sure to find it on her website or scrolling through her Twitter feed.

Not only does Dianne have a passion for saving money, but is also a published poet, an established copywriter, a skilled photographer, and a former editor-in-chief.

That being said, she knows that it's okay to splurge once and a while and keeps you up to date on all things fabulous as well.

Will you help us say hi and welcome Dianne to #withTownHall?

Leave a comment below – or go give this post a like or share on Facebook or Twitter

Josh Likes Wine - Meet Josh Decolongon #withTownHall

By Leeann Froese Well its a new week to bring you an amazing person to meet #withTownHall!

If you are new to reading this blog or new to our company – we want you to know that we are proud that we have a big network, and we are continually meeting new and interesting personalities.

We want to make the world smaller by introducing people to each other - so sometimes our people #withTownHall are part of our team, sometimes they are clients, and sometimes, like this week, they are just cool people we want to introduce to the world.

This week #withTownHall, we are rolling in on #featurefriday to introduce you to a true #winelover, Joshua Decolongon.

Josh is a wine blogger and reviewer at his site: Josh Likes Wine and a certified sommelier.

He was given a bottle of wine on his 19th birthday and he figured he should give wine a shot because he is up for everything!

At 23, Josh is a WSET Diploma graduate-the youngest (we know of) in BC. He also too k lead at the UBC Wine Tasting Club.

He loves writing whether it be an article on wine or in his journal and his love of writing brought him to the Wine Bloggers conference in 2014 on scholarship, a conference that Sujinder and I attend each year.

Josh does love wine but he also enjoys photography, science, making music, science, languages and Game of Thrones, as Josh says, "[he's] not just a pretty drunken face."

With all that being said will you help us say hi and welcome Josh to #withTownHall?

Leave a comment below – or go give this post a like or share on Facebook or Twitter

Summerland Winery Okanagan Crush Pad Heads to Europe for Prowein

We've got some big news for one of our BC wine clients! Summerland's Okanagan Crush Pad will be making its first foray into the European market, debuting at ProWein Dusseldorf March 13 to 15.

Established in 2011, Okanagan Crush Pad's reputation has grown quickly in regard to their efforts in organic growing and natural wine making. Owner Christine Coletta credits international consultants Italian winemaker Alberto Antonini and Chilean soil expert Pedro Parra for the winery's vision. While Antonini has been working with the winery since 2010, Parra joined the winery team in 2012 in order to choose and design a new vineyard site, Garnet Valley Ranch. Its first harvest will be this year.

“We are all on the same page with respect to the direction we are traveling. The real heavy lifting falls to our viticulture and winemaking teams who have followed the road map drawn by Antonini and Parra perfectly,” notes Coletta.

The winery is capable of 35,000 cases annually and initially developed as the first purpose-built custom crush winery in Canada. While Okanagan Crush Pad crafts their portfolio wines Haywire and Narrative exclusively in concrete tanks, they also choose to focus on small lots of premium wines.

The winery team aims to craft wines that showcase the natural beauty of the Okanagan Valley and so additives such as yeast and nutrients are not used, except in their bubbles.  “We want the wine community to discover what excites us about our growing region, and we feel Prowein is an excellent place to start,” said Coletta.

 

Representing the winery at Prowein will be owner Christine Coletta, her daughter Alison Scholefield, winery business partner David Scholefield, and brand ambassador Michael West. The natural wines from Haywire will be showcased, made from grapes grown on Switchback Organic Vineyard, as well as their Ancient Method sparkling wine from the Narrative roster.

NOTE to those headed to Prowein: go see Haywire with all the Canadian wineries, who will be located in Hall 9/D48.

Take a photo of yourself with the winery principals or the wines and send it to us on social media @townhallbrands. Tag it #gohaywire #prowein - we can't wait for you to meet our amazing clients!

 

Serendipity Winery & DinnerPartyYVR are the perfect pairing

On Saturday, April 9, 2016, Serendipity Winery will support the charitable DinnerPartyYVR (#DPYVR) for the fourth consecutive year. The Naramata winery is generously donating their BC VQA wine to simultaneously-hosted dinner parties across Vancouver with over 500 anticipated home cooks and diners. 100% of ticket sales from each dinner is donated to a charity of the hobby chefs’ choice. To date, Serendipity has helped participating hobby chefs raise more than $30,000 for charities across BC. Founded in 2013, DinnerPartyYVR has connected hundreds of hobby chefs, diners, charities, and partners around dinner tables across Vancouver for great conservations, marvellous meals, and a whole lot of fun. This year, more hobby chefs than ever will be invited to host dinner parties in their homes while raising funds for their favourite charity. 100% of ticket sales are donated. After dinner, everyone gathers to celebrate at an after party featuring live entertainment, treats and more opportunities to mix and mingle with new friends and charity representatives.

What: DinnerPartyYVR (#DPYVR)

When: Saturday, April 9, 2016

Dinner: 6:00 - 8:00 pm with over 500 anticipated home cooks and diners

After Party: 8:30 - 11:00 pm @ location TBD

Tickets are on sale now at dinnerpartyyvr.com. There you can search the various dinners and locations and buy tickets, which will move quickly. Every year to date has sold out in advance, so don’t delay.

“We’re thrilled to again be supporting DinnerPartyYVR,” says Judy Kingston, owner of Serendipity Winery. “It’s a wonderful experience meeting all the hobby chefs and pairing one of our wines to suit their meal. Giving back to the community is what we’re all about.”

Follow along on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for the latest updates.

Meet Catherine Dunwoody #withTownHall

By Leeann Froese Well  its FriYAY - and a new week to bring you an amazing person #withTownHall!

If you are new to reading this blog or new to our company – we want you to know that we are proud that we have a big network, and we are continually meeting new and interesting personalities.

This week #withTownHall, we are rolling in on #featurefriday to introduce you to a media mogul, Catherine Dunwoody.

Catherine has been a media entrepreneur for over 25 years.

As a freelance journalist she covers various topics from fashion, travel, lifestyle and food/drink.The list of outlets Catherine contributes to is extensive but includes Flare, Chatelaine, Men's Health, BC Living and Entertainment Weekly.

Her regular columns include, 'TV Dinner' with TV Week Magazine and At Home with Flavours Magazine,

Along with her writing portfolio, she is a freelance editor, stylist, and consultant across Canada and the US.

Catherine is also the editor of Real Weddings Magazine and Westworld BC.

With all that being said will you help us welcome Catherine to #withTownHall?

Leave a comment below – or go give this post a like or share on Facebook or Twitter

Meet Pedro Parra #withTownHall

By Leeann Froese Well  its FriYAY - and a new week to bring you an amazing person #withTownHall!

If you are new to reading this blog or new to our company – we want you to know that we are proud that we have a big network, and we are continually meeting new and interesting personalities.

This week #withTownHall, we are rolling in on #featurefriday to introduce you to an international terroir specialist, Pedro Parra.

Pedro is a soil and terroir consultant from Chile.  To keep it simple, he assesses vineyard soil and determines which grape varietals will grow best based on soil type and composition. This includes digging pits and truly understanding the soil since different soil types yield different results in finished wine.

Pedro's clients are mainly located in Chile, Argentina, and Italy, but he also works in Sonoma, British Columbia, Armenia, Uruguay, and Burgundy.

In BC, Pedro works with three of Town Hall's PR clients. Beginning in 2012, he joined the Okanagan Crush Pad team as their terroir consultant and been apart of their journey ever  since helping them continue to move forward in crafting pure Okanagan wines. In 2014, Pedro assessed the soil of Coolshanagh Vineyard and noted the vineyard's soil was in the top 15% in the world. Along with the vineyards in the Okanagan, Pedro consults with the Blue Grouse Estate Winery team in Cowichan Valley on their winemaking.

In this position, he has dug over 20,000 pits around the world to help winemakers create the best wine possible, because it's not about the soil-it's all about the wine. When Pedro chooses his wine he considers soil type & region over varietal.

With all that being said will you help us say hello to Pedro?

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Meet Crystal Allen #withTownHall

By Leeann Froese Well  its FriYAY - and a new week to bring you an amazing person #withTownHall!

If you are new to reading this blog or new to our company – we want you to know that we are proud that we have a big network, and we are continually meeting new and interesting personalities.

This week #withTownHall, we are rolling in on #featurefriday to introduce you to an amazing creative director, Crystal Allen.

Crystal is the creative director and publisher at Hello Creative Family, where they celebrate the creative life by providing simple, everyday, and back-to-basics inspired projects. These include DIY, craft, food projects, and parenting reads. As well as curating the online magazine she contributes her own stories and articles.

Hello Creative Family came to light in 2015, emerging from the blog, Sew Creative, that Crystal owned and ran, which focused on creative living for women 25-50.

Pulling from Hello Creative Family DIY content, recently Crystal was on CTV Morning Live showing host Keri Adams how to make homemade beauty treatments.

Crystal also brings her creativity and fun into all she does at her own company West Coast Creative Company. She uses her background as a children's book publicist from her time at Raincoast Books: she has amble experience in facilitating author tours, event planning and what it takes to build and maintain a brand.

Next up: Crystal will be bringing her skills to the upcoming Barn Burner BBQ in Chilliwack as a Black Box judge. We hope her husband wears his BBQ shirt to help celebrate the day!

With all that being said will you help us say hello to Crystal?

Leave a comment below – or go give this post a like or share on Facebook or Twitter