Evening Under the Stars Gourmet Food and Wine Festival benefiting Torrance Memorial Hospital on August 2nd, 2014- Preview, Tickets, Post Coverage
It truly was a night to remember for this post coverage of The 28th annual “Honda Evening Under the Stars” Gourmet Food & Wine Festival held Saturday, August 2nd on the Torrance campus of American Honda. The event (which celebrates the best in South Bay cuisine while raising funds for Torrance Memorial Medical Center) showed once again why it has become one of LA’s must-attend benefit events. A tradition for over a quarter of a century, this year’s Evening Under the Stars featured a Hawaiian theme. It was a full house, but the spacious venue offered plenty of room as hundreds of guests (many sporting Hawaiian shirts and/or colorful leis) sampled fine fare, caught up with old friends, and made many new ones while enjoying enchanting music and perfect weather.
Every year, this event features a wide array of top restaurant and beverage partners, and 2014 was no different. About three dozen booths took up the majority of the event space, surrounding a smaller middle area (directly in front of the performance stage) that was reserved for VIPs and talent. While there were many excellent eatery and libation stations to visit, some of my favorites included:
Depot: a delish fish dish – “basa” is the name of the fish they served, similar to snapper
Fresh Brothers: several varieties of their popular pizza, including veggie and “the works”
Gourmet Grindz & The Good Cookies: delightful desserts
Il Fornaio: three varieties of pasta, a basket of bread, and a popular white custard dessert
Nothing Bundt Cakes: as the name implies, yummy bundt cake samples
Ortega 120: guacamole and chips
Rock & Brews El Segundo: a meatlovers fave, offering tri-tip-on-a-bun sandwiches
(and magazines featuring Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley – the KISS legends behind the eatery chain)
Salt Creek Grille: featured the most enticing sign, describing their prize dish as “life changing” bacon-wrapped shrimp!
Sushi Chef Institute: as the name implies, they offered sushi for guests.
On the beverage side, approximately 80 varietals of wine were served, and friendly sommeliers from the Disneyland Resort were on hand to educate guests about wine. (Guests also enjoyed the champagne that was served at the start of the event, as everyone made their way into the main entrance – a nice touch!)
And of course, everyone loved the excellent live entertainment. In addition to hula performances by Keali’I Ceballos and Halau, multi-GRAMMY-Award winners Tia Carrere and Daniel Ho performed hits from their Hawaiian music albums as headliners for the night.
American Honda created the Gourmet Food & Wine Festival in partnership with the Torrance Area Chamber of Commerce in 1987 as a way to bring corporate business, residents, and local commerce together with city officials for a relaxing community celebration. This year, the Festival raised funds for the Torrance Memorial Health Care Foundation and Torrance Memorial’s new Lundquist Tower and Pediatric Services. 2014 marks the ninth consecutive year Honda has chosen Torrance Memorial as the event’s beneficiary. In that time, Evening Under the Stars has raised nearly $900,000 for Torrance Memorial. (More info: www.TorranceMemorial.org.)
In addition to ticket sales for the event, there were other fun opportunities to help the fundraising effort. Opportunity Drawing tickets were sold onsite for a chance to win a 2014 Honda Accord Hybrid EX-L. There was also a superb silent auction, where guests bid on exclusive items and experiences – including large screen HD TVs, an iPad tablet, a high tech bicycle and more (entertainment packages, sporting events, memorabilia, dining, travel and local outings).
In summary, a splendid time was had by all, and I highly recommend you attend next year. The combination of fabulous food, lively libations, friendly folks and marvelous music can’t be beat – and all for a great cause. Mark it on your calendar for Summer 2015!
Preview:
MULTI-GRAMMY AWARD WINNERS TIA CARRERE AND DANIEL HO TO PERFORM
AT 28th ANNUAL “HONDA EVENING UNDER THE STARS” GOURMET FOOD & WINE FESTIVAL TO BENEFIT TORRANCE MEMORIAL MEDICAL CENTER
Multi GRAMMY-Award winners Tia Carrere and Daniel Ho will perform hits from their Hawaiian music albums at the 28th annual “Honda Evening Under the Stars” Gourmet Food & Wine Festival, Saturday, Aug. 2, 2014. Hosted by American Honda at its Torrance campus, the event celebrates the best in South Bay cuisine, while raising funds for nonprofit Torrance Memorial Medical Center. The evening will also feature hula performances by Keali’I Ceballos and Halau.
“The community looks forward to this long-standing tradition each year to sample fine fare, catch up with old friends and make new ones,” said Laura Schenasi, executive vice president, Torrance Memorial Health Care Foundation. “We’re so grateful Honda once again invited us to benefit from this event, which helps us to advance our fundraising goals. There are still many opportunities to support the medical center with new equipment and programs as we put finishing touches on the new Lundquist Tower, which is scheduled to open later this year.”
The Festival, presented in partnership with the Torrance Area Chamber of Commerce, will take place from 6 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. In line with the evening’s Hawaiian theme, the attire will be elegant Hawaiian. Tickets are $150 per person, $250 per pair or $4,000 for table sponsors (10 guests per table) and can be purchased by calling the Torrance Memorial Health Care Foundation at 310-517-4703, the Chamber at 310-540-5858, or by visiting www.TorranceMemorial.org.
“Honda is pleased to bring a spirit of aloha to Evening Under the Stars,” said Steve Morikawa, assistant vice president, Corporate Community Relations, American Honda. “This event has become a great summer tradition with our friends in the community, and we’re looking forward to joining our restaurant and beverage partners to benefit Torrance Memorial.”
Funds raised from the event will benefit Torrance Memorial’s new Lundquist Tower and Pediatric Services. This marks the ninth consecutive year Honda has chosen Torrance Memorial as the event’s beneficiary. In that time, Evening Under the Stars has raised nearly $900,000 for Torrance Memorial. Last year a sell-out crowd of more than 1,000 community members attended, with $200,000 of the evening’s proceeds donated to Torrance Memorial.
To date, the following restaurants and beverage partners will be offering their fare and tastings at the Festival:
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Depot/Buffalo Fire Department
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Disneyland Resort
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Doubletree by Hilton Torrance-South Bay
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Fresh Brothers
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Gourmet Grindz & The Good Cookies
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Honda Classic/PGA Tour Professional Wines
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Il Fornaio
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Island Eats Hale Aina
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Jackson’s Food & Drink
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Kincaid’s
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Nothing Bundt Cakes
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Ortega 120
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Palos Verdes Golf Club
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Paul Martin’s American Grill
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Red Car Brewery & Restaurant
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Riboli Family Wine Estates / San Antonio Winery
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Rock & Brews El Segundo
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Rock N’ Fish
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Salt Creek Grille
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Zinc @ Shade
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Sushi Chef Institute
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Torrance Marriott South Bay
Approximately 80 varietals of wine will be served, and professional sommeliers from The Disneyland Resort will be on hand to educate guests about wine. For an up-to-date list of participating restaurants, entertainment details and other event information, visit the Festival’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/eveningunderthestars.
In conjunction with this year’s event, Opportunity Drawing tickets will be sold through participating food and beverage partners for a chance to win a 2014 Honda Accord Hybrid EX-L (MSRP $31,905). Each partner will select one registered 501(c) 3 organization in good standing that serves the South Bay community to benefit from drawing proceeds. If no charity is selected, the funds will go to the Torrance Memorial Health Care Foundation. Tickets are $25 each or five (5) for $100.
As part of the event’s festivities, guests will have the opportunity to participate in a silent auction for exclusive items and experiences, including entertainment packages, sporting events and memorabilia, dining, travel, local outings and specialty items.
American Honda created the Gourmet Food & Wine Festival in partnership with the Torrance Area Chamber of Commerce in 1987 as a way to bring corporate business, residents, and local commerce together with city officials for a relaxing community celebration.
The $450 million, 398,250-square-foot Lundquist Tower is scheduled to be completed in November, 2014.
About Torrance Memorial Medical Center
Founded in 1925 by Jared Sydney and Helena Childs Torrance, Torrance Memorial Medical Center is a locally governed, 401-bed, nonprofit medical center established to provide quality healthcare services, predominantly to the residents of the South Bay, Peninsula and Harbor communities. Torrance Memorial seeks to offer the most current and effective medical technologies rendered in a compassionate, caring manner. In 2012, it joined the ranks of the top hospitals in the nation by earning coveted Magnet® recognition from the American Nurses Credentialing Center, which recognizes nursing excellence. Torrance Memorial has also been ranked as one of the best hospitals for 2013-14 in California and the Los Angeles metro area for the second year straight by U.S. News & World Report, placing the hospital in the top 6 percent in the state. The report recognized Torrance Memorial for providing high performing and quality care in six specialty areas: geriatrics, nephrology, urology, gynecology, orthopedics and endocrinology/diabetes. For more information please visit:
About American Honda
Honda is one of the world’s leading producers of mobility products including its diverse line-up of automobiles, motorcycles and ATVs, power products, and marine engines. More than 90 percent of Honda and Acura vehicles sold in the U.S. are produced in North America, using global and domestically sourced parts. Honda is committed to supporting the communities where we work and live. Through a broad range of community initiatives, charitable giving, foundation grants, and volunteerism, Honda seeks to create value for society and bring joy to people’s lives.