Best Web Site for Food

 

Leite’s Culinaria is First Web Site to Win the James Beard Award

Leite’s Culinaria (www.leitesculinaria.com) won the 2006 James Beard Award for Best Web Site for Food, which was given out at the 16th Annual James Beard Foundation Journalism Awards on May 7th. This is first time the foundation has included a Web site in its roster of nomination categories.

(PRWEB) May 12, 2006 -- On Sunday, May 7th, Leite’s Culinaria (www.leitesculinaria.com) won the 2006 James Beard Award for Best Web Site for Food, which was given out at the 16th Annual James Beard Foundation Journalism Awards held at the Grand Hyatt in New York City. This is first time the foundation has included a Web site in its roster of nomination categories. Other Web site nominees were epicurious.com, a CondeNast company, and alicefeiring.com, an independent blog devoted to wine.

David Leite, publisher and editor-in-chief, and Linda Avery, food editor, were present to accept the award. “It’s quite an honor,” says Avery. “All of our editors, recipe testers, and writers have worked tremendously hard, and we’re all very appreciative.”

Leite’s Culinaria began in 1999, a time when the Internet had few quality food sites. Leite, a freelance food writer, wanted to create a cyber-portfolio that editors could visit in order to read his work. In no time, he began receiving e-mails from readers who found their way to the site based upon its content, which, at the time, dealt mostly with Portuguese cooking.

“Frankly, I was shocked when people found me,” says Leite of those early years. “I had no idea that search engines spidered Web sites. I was planning to using it as a destination for editors, not for the general public.” Within the year, Leite added other content, including recipes, resources, and columns. In 2000, Gary Allen, author of the "Resource Guide for Food Writers" (Routledge, 1999) and the upcoming "The Herbalist in the Kitchen" (University of Illinois Press) was tapped as food history editor.

Avery joined the site in 2003 as one of a dozen recipe testers. She quickly became recipe-testing coordinator and grew the section to almost 200 members. In 2004, she became food editor, and her responsibilities increased to include planning each month’s issue with Leite as well as determining which books and recipes to highlight.

Leite writes for the site and edits the work of contributing writers, a group which now encompasses established and up-and-coming writers. The combination of editors, writers, and the site’s various offerings attracts approximately 1.3 million readers a year. To encourage new writers, Leite established The Leite's Culinaria Scholarship for Narrative Food Writing to the Symposium for Professional Food Writers at The Greenbrier in White Sulphur Springs, WV. The first winner was Ana Schwartzman, whose work will appear on the site later in the year.

In addition to the winning the James Beard Award, Leite’s Culinaria won the 2005 World Food Media Award for Best Food and/or Drink Web Site, the 2002 Best Writer’s Web Site award from "Writer’s Digest Magazine," and was a finalist in the 2006 Gourmet Voice Awards. Also, work from the site has been included in the "Best Food Writing" series (Marlowe).

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Press Contact: David Leite
Company Name: Leite's Culinaria
Email: email protected from spam bots
Phone: 212 799-8075
Website: http://www.leitesculinaria.com

Wine Tasting and Auction to Raise Funds For Make-A-Wish Foundation

 

Make-A-Wish Foundation of Greater L.A. Wine Tasting and Auction to Raise Funds For Children's Wishes

Make-A-Wish Foundation of Greater Los Angeles' “Uncork A Wish” Wine Tasting and Auction at the Pacific Design Center features celebrities, fine wine, top restaurants, and amazing auction items. Presented by The Wine House and Charter Communications, the 13th annual "Uncork A Wish" Wine Tasting and Auction is one of the largest wine tasting and auction events in Los Angeles County. Benefiting the wish fulfillment efforts of the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Greater Los Angeles for children in Los Angeles with life-threatening illnesses, the night will unfold on Saturday, May 13, 2005 inside Pacific Design Center in West Hollywood beginning at 6:30 p.m., with the live auction slated for 9 p.m.

Los Angeles, CA (PRWEB) May 8, 2006 -- Presented by The Wine House and Charter Communications, the 13th annual "Uncork A Wish" Wine Tasting and Auction is one of the largest wine tasting and auction events in Los Angeles County. Benefiting the wish fulfillment efforts of the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Greater Los Angeles for children in Los Angeles with life-threatening medical conditions.

The night will unfold on Saturday, May 13, 2005 inside Pacific Design Center in West Hollywood beginning at 6:30 p.m., with the live auction slated for 9 p.m.

Celebrities currently scheduled to participate in this year’s event include: Teri Hatcher, Penny Marshall, Macy Gray, Micky Dolenz, Steven Cojocaru, Matt Gallant (American Inventor), Gregory Itzin (24), Ashley Jones (The Bold and the Beautiful), Kathy Joosten (Desperate Housewives), Kate Linder (Y&R), Roma Maffia (Nip/Tuck), Marianne Muellerleile (Passions/Thank you for Smoking), Stefanie Powers, Constance Ramos (Extreme Makeover: Home Edition), Christopher Rich (Reba), Emmanuelle Vaugier (Two and a Half Men), and Constance Zimmer (In Justice).

"Everyone is very excited at all the wonderful aspects of the event that have been brought together this year," said Cheri Lauterbach, director of development for the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Greater Los Angeles. "From our celebrity guests to the delectable assortment of food and wine being served to the wide array of exciting auction items, we have something that will appeal to our guests' range of tastes and interests."

The Wine House has brought together more than 80 participating wineries including: Boony Doon, Campion Winery, Charlone, Cobblestone, Domaine Carneros, Fife Vineyards, Honig Vineyard, Longoria, Marengo Moscato, Patz & Hall Wine Co., Piper-Heidsick, Saddlerock Vineyards, Torre Oria, and Trefethen Vineyards.

Adding to the night's festivities, Carving Ice will once again create a one-of-a-kind ice sculpture masterpiece that will serve as the martini bar, featuring celebrity bartenders and Belvedere Vodka supplied by Pacific Wine and Spirits. Guests who arrive during the first hour of the event will be offered a glass of Veuve Clicquot Rosé Champagne and Glen Morangie Scotch Whisky will also be available for tasting throughout the evening. New this year will be a sponsor's lounge with an array of European beers supplied by the INBEV Corporation.

Top Los Angeles restaurants serving sumptuous tastes of their finest cuisine include: BOA Steakhouse, Sushi Roku, Crustacean, Water Grill, Locanda del Lago, Arnie Morton's of Chicago, Cheese Store of Beverly Hills, Noe, San Gennaro, Mr. Cecil's Ribs, and Pink's Famous Hotdogs.

During the live and silent auctions, guests can bid on hundreds of fantastic items including:

A trip for two to a private Mexican villa for seven nights including round-trip airfare.

A three night trip to New York for two that includes round-trip airfare, hotel and two tickets to a taping of Saturday Night Live.

A trip for six to Napa Valley in a private jet for a winery tour and dinner at the French Laundry.

A fashion-tastic trip to New York including airfare, three nights at a Hilton Hotel and four tickets to the season three fashion show FINALE of Bravo's "Project Runway" hosted by Heidi Klum.

Fabulous artwork including a painting that will be created live by noted artist Thom Bierdz.

Special behind-the-scenes access at Disney Imagineering
Tickets to American Idol including a meet and greet with Ryan Seacrest.

A fully stocked, 48 bottle wine refrigerator.

A shopping experience with Steven Cojocaru, Entertainment Tonight and The Insider correspondent and fashion guru.

A flight in a World War II biplane.

A birthday party for six at American Girl Place at The Grove.

Presenting sponsors, Charter Communications and The Wine House are joined by sponsors Northrop Grumman, Cars 4 Causes, TMC, Hilton Hotels, Wells Fargo, Rollz Royce Limousine Service, The Walt Disney Company, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Deloitte and Touche, Capital Source, Pelican Products, City Art, GES Exposition Services, LA Magazine, Carving Ice, INBEV, and Fuji Water.

Members of the honorary committee for the 13th annual Uncork A Wish Wine Tasting and Auction are: Giovanni Agnelli, Antonio Banderas, Catherine Bell, Halle Berry, Kobe Bryant, Ted Danson, Tony Danza, Matt Gallant, Brad Garrett, Macy Gray, Melanie Griffith, Steven Grossman, Lisa Wade Grossman, Ed Harris, Mark Itkin, Renee Jones, Kathy Kinney, Andie MacDowell, William Petersen, Kelly Preston, Luc Robitaille, Pantera Sarah, Jessica Simpson, Sharon Stone, Kiefer Sutherland, Naomi Watts, Bradley Whitford, and Noah Wyle.

Conceived as a Valentine's Day celebration at the Santa Monica Airport's Museum of Flying in 1993, the wine tasting and auction fundraiser quickly outgrew that location and was moved into the Airport's Barker Hangar four years later, where it remained until the decision was made to move to the more centrally located Pacific Design Center this year. Attended by approximately 1,500 people annually, the funds raised have been used to fulfill hundreds of wishes for children with life-threatening medical conditions.

The Pacific Design Center is located at 8687 Melrose Avenue, West Hollywood, California 90069-5701. General Admission tickets are $125 in advance and $150 at the door. Wine and food tasting is included in the price of admission. Guests must be 21 or older to be admitted into the event. For more information, visit http://www.wishla.org or call 310-899-9191.

About the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Greater Los Angeles

Established in 1983, the Greater Los Angeles chapter of the Make-A-Wish Foundation grants wishes to children throughout Los Angeles County who are battling life-threatening medical conditions. Working out of an office in West Los Angeles, the chapter has granted over 5,500 wishes to children countywide. For more information about the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Greater Los Angeles go to http://www.wishla.org or call 310-788-9474.

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Press Contact: Shelley Ginsburg
Company Name: MAKE-A-WISH FOUNDATION OF GREATER LOS ANGELES
Email: email protected from spam bots
Phone: 310-788-9474
Website: www.wishla.org