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Trying to Get Back The Land of Milk & Honey. And Weddings! During the course of a pleasant chat with Pala Mesa Resort Wedding devotees Kendra Koenig & Kat Jackson, we were brusquely interrupted |
by a (soon-to-be-ex) CAKE-pal who gave us a piece of his mind, pointing out it's been 2 long years since we've featured Fallbrook Wedding venues.
First reaction? Well, excuuuse me! Second reaction? Where's a cop when you need one?! Third reaction? It might not be a bad idea that those prone to outbursts verify their prescriptions are up to date. And finally? Remarkably, CAKE's into its third year and my, my, my, how the time does fly.
As previously reported, Fallbrook plays home to four major Wedding venues - the Grand Tradition, Pala Mesa Resort, Los Willows and the Enchanted Forest. Throw in additional smaller venues, 3 dozen churches - plus home Weddings - and this pastoral Village of a mere 40,000 population plays host to approximately 1,000 Weddings a year! Are you feeling the love?
The flipside? From CAKE's perspective? With the growing number of regional Wedding venues, its taking us longer and longer to return to those already featured in the Newsletter. So please join us as we return to the verdant agricultural community of Fallbrook, land of avocados, citrus, grapes - and Weddings!
Oh yeah . . if your Wedding reception's at Pala Mesa's picturesque Cliff Terrace, tell Food & Beverage Director - Kevin Poorbaugh (who'll be overseeing your reception) - CAKE sends a tip of the hat and that we'll never speak of this again. He'll grasp the heart of the matter!
CAKE. Wine Country Wedding Newsletter. Temecula Valley & Fallbrook, California
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people will
stare
[» PHOTOGRAPH OF THE MONTH «]
warning: please view responsibly!
this isn't your mother's wedding photograph!
rk
green studios
randy green
la cereza winery
model: karolin
dicristina
belle mariée bridal & tuxedo
www.bellemarieebridal.com
Photographers are invited to e-mail
out-of-the-ordinary
Wedding photographs for CAKE's Photograph Of The Month to:
CAKE
"people will stare" photograph courtesy of shadowcatcher imagery
[» WINE OF THE MONTH «]
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FALLBROOK WINERY With this Fallbrook-oriented edition of CAKE, we're going to detour from our accustomed Wine-Label-Of-The Month feature to present a winery in toto - Fallbrook Winery. A few years back, during the course of serving on the Board of Directors of the Fallbrook Chamber of Commerce, we ventured out to Fallbrook Winery one day to attend a meeting of the Chamber's Destination Marketing Committee. |
While enjoying lunch provided by the Winery that leisurely summer afternoon, we had the pleasure of meeting Fallbrook Winery's owner, Ira Gourvitz, his son, Ted Gourvitz, and winemaker extraordinaire, Duncan Williams. The three gentlemen were gracious hosts, enthusiastic about the wines they were producing and eager to show off their countryside facility.
| We tasted several vintages of their cabernets, which impressed
us enough to purchase liquid supplies for dinner later
that night.
An added Fallbrook Winery-related note, we had a chuckle while recently vacationing in Tucson. Our B-I-L (brother-in-law, Laguna Beach) recommended that we try a quaint Tucson bistro - Terra Cotta. We did, and while browsing through the lunch menu, were pleasantly surprised to see Fallbrook Winery on the wine list. (What wine did we drink with a shared serving of nachos that delightful Arizona afternoon? Let's see . . .) |
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For this month's tasting, we settled on Fallbrook Winery's 2000 Special Selection Cabernet Sauvignon. Aged for 2 years in 59 gallon French and American barrels, the vintage was fragrant upon opening, poured dark colors out of the bottle, with the first taste eliciting a "Yum!" from one of us. (The other one). It was creamy on the tongue and we agreed with Winemaker Williams' mention of both the flavor of cassis, plus oak galore from the small barrels. Although big and chewy, there was an inkling of minerals, giving it a subtle French taste of the soil.
By pure happenstance, we were again eating Mexican the evening of the tasting - chicken enchiladas with red sauce. Yeah, yeah, if we'd planned better the pairing would've been more elegant, but - hey! - it was only Thursday. Can we get a witness?! Fear not, the Special Selection cab and the enchiladas were made for each other!
$15 13.5%
FALLBROOK WINERY
2554 Via Rancheros
Fallbrook California 92028
760 728 0156
[» HEARD IT THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE «]
get your motor running,
head out
on the highway!
royal
elegance limousines
A SWEET PAIR
Back-To-Back Wine Country
Wedding-World Parties
For two nights in early February, Wine Country was the scene to be seen. Leading off was the grand opening of Marty Colleary's Wolf Creek Bakery. The event, organized by Diane & Gino Simones of Neighbors Newspaper, served in part to show off Neighbors Newspaper's new insert - Wine Country Weddings. 150 Wedding-world cognoscenti wined, dined and oh-my-gushed over the Wedding cakes on display. Among those in attendance, we spotted Lauren Seals, Karon Cartwright, Randy Green, Karolin DiCristina, the Ponte girls - Liz Tyler, Tori Bailey & Caren Gomez - Michael Scalise, Annette Nielsen, Charlene Keys, the Marry Me Lounge girls - Terre & Cathy - the ladies from Sweetlayers, Carolyn Brown, and Lisa Preston. Not to mention the actors pictured below. A very cool evening.
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But wait, that's not all! As if the Wolf Creek Bakery soirée wasn't enough, many came back, Jack, to do it again the following evening at Keyways Winery. The occasion was the inaugural meeting of the Temecula Valley Wedding Professionals. The setting was buff, the music by DJ Mike Schroyer kept things l-i-v-e-l-y, photographer extraordinaire Randy Green pitched-in as the gathering's designated shooter and we had to choke back emotions as we reconnected with long-lost friends we hadn't seen since the night before.
We spotted Annette Nielsen & Charlene Keys, not to mention a brief appearance by Keyways owner - Teri Pebley - and winery General Manager, Mimi Harlan.
Joining us throughout the evening at our belly bar was Lauren Seals, Karolin DiCristina, Diana Ross, John Rodriquez, Gino Simones (our opera glasses caught sight of Diane Simones glad-handing out in the distance), Tobie Ashcraft, (somehow Jake Ashcraft evaded us until later in the evening), Sheri Mahr, Marie & Rich Fowler, Laura Mitchell and Sheila of Sherri Smith's Murrieta Flower Girl. Taking our lives into our hands and wading into the crowd, we were charmed-I'm-sure to see the Ponte Girls - Tori Bailey, Liz Tyler & Caren Gomez. We hugged-it-out with Su-Lin Sutherland, plus had the pleasure of meeting Jay Fitzgerald.
What a night! What a week!! We need a nap!!!
[» IN FURTHER WINE COUNTRY NEWS «]
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Joey & Maria's Comedy Wedding Wilson Creek Winery cordially invites you to attend the craziest Wedding ever! Joey & Maria's Comedy Wedding (rated PG-13!) presents the hilarious antics of Joey & Maria, as they join hands at the altar to exchange their Vows. The dinner show is interactive, with the audience encouraged to participate as Joey, Maria, and their |
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families visit your table to gossip, flirt and disco. So don't "youz guys forgeta 'bout it!"
Doors open at 6:00 and tickets are $80, which includes a champagne reception, appetizers, a traditional Italian dinner and the show. And a great time!
The performance benefits Our Nicholas Foundation, advocating for children with autism.
WILSON CREEK WINERY
35960 Rancho California Road
Temecula, California 92591
951 699 9463
www.wilsoncreekwinery.com
eventinfo@wilsoncreekwinery.com
And The Winner Is!
jenelle & mark jackson
sweet flowers
Wine Country florists - Sweet Flowers Weddings & Events - were among the winners in Wedding Wire.com's first annual Brides Choice Awards in the Flowers & Decor category. The 2009 Brides Choice Award recognizes and honors Wedding vendors who demonstrate quality of service, professionalism and value.
Sweet
Flowers Weddings & Events
951 723 8904
www.sweetflowers.net
sweetflowerss@aol.com
Shadowcatcher Imagery Grand Opening
Shadowcatcher Imagery - 1st Place winner in CAKE's 2008 Photography Contest - is hosting a Grand Opening celebration to mark the occasion of moving into their new location - STUDIO 32 - in Escondido. Calendar the date: March 19, 2009 / Thursday at 6-9.
Shadowcatcher
Imagery
740 Metcalf
Suite 32
Escondido California
www.shadowcatcherimagery.com
heather@shadowcatcherimagery.com
dan pettus photography
Dan Pettus Photography Workshop
"Just Say No To Auto Mode"
April 11 Saturday 9-3
Wine Country Wedding photographer - Dan Pettus - has announced his upcoming photography workshop, a one-day learning event designed to show any-&-all photographers "how the pros do it." Presented at Wilson Creek Winery, the toll is a reasonable $99, including a box lunch courtesy of one of our favorite Wine Country chefs, WCW's Chef Clay Blake.
Dan
Pettus Photography
31805 Temecula Parkway #667
Temecula California 92592
951 693 0500
www.dpschoolofphotography.com
'TIS THE SEASON
Its Springtime In Wine Country And Bridal Shows
Are In Full Swingtime!
MARRY ME LOUNGE
Vendor Bridal Show
Temecula Creek Inn
March 14, 2009
Saturday
11-4
Marry Me Lounge
42072 Fifth Street #103
Temecula California 92590
www.marrymelounge.com
info@marrymelounge.com
951 694 0327
PECHANGA RESORT AND CASINO
Bridal Open House
March 15, 2009
Sunday
4-7
Pechanga Resort And Casino
45000 Pechanga Parkway
Temecula California 92592
www.pechanga.com
ndonahue@pechanga.com
951 770 8551
[» AND FINALLY «]
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Temecula Valley Peggy
Evans, marketing and communications specialist for the TVWA, is
currently serving as the Association's interim Executive Director. Ms.
Evans, a familiar face around Temecula’s Wine Country for more than two
decades, has been responsible for marketing
Winegrower events
and communications for the Winegrowers Association, which
represents more than 65 wineries and grape growers. |
| As
noted by TVWA President, Bill Wilson, of Wilson Creek Winery,
the Temecula Valley - the premiere winemaking region in The SoCal - is
located a mere hour’s drive north of San Diego.
Over the last decade, the number of wineries in Temecula’s Wine Country has doubled and more new wineries are in the planning stages. More importantly, the area’s reputation for making fine wine is on the rise as local wines continue to win major awards at wine competitions. [Editor's note: with thanks to Don McAuliffe of Parallax Communications]. |
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WEDDING
VENUES & VENDORS
Fallbrook
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To Be Wed In Fallbrook 20-some years ago, a marker was laid down as a turning point arrived on the Southern California Wedding scene - the opening of the Grand Tradition in Fallbrook. It took a full moon, a high tide and a certain amount of voodoo to pull off, but the arrival of this venue was a game-changer in regional Weddings. A triumph of hope over history, Fallbrook tugged on a unraveling thread: the long-established rule that the center of gravity for Southern California Weddings resides exclusively in the urban locales of Los Angeles, San Diego and The OC. As Fallbrook entered into this uncharted territory, that status quo quickly evaporated. |
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The truth be told, the Grand Tradition pounded the SoCal Wedding scene like a Category 5 hurricane, taking a seat at the table in regional Weddings, all the while paving the way for Weddings at Fallbrook's Pala Mesa Resort, Los Willows and Enchanted Forest. As time wore on, this rural Village came to host 1,000 Weddings a year. Why? There's a gravitational pull to the area, centering around a journey deep into the heart of a quiet countryside, lush rural forests of avocado trees and one of the few remaining whereabouts the country air is still perfumed with the fragrance of orange blossoms. |
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No doubt about it, as these four venues settled into hosting Weddings over the past two decades, a new paradigm was at hand, raising the bar of excellence throughout the region. The coda? The Grand Tradition, Pala Mesa Resort, Los Willows and the Enchanted Forest are well-worth exploring and every Bride & Groom should schedule tours, if for no other reason than to have a touchstone by which to compare other close-at-hand venues. In addition, CAKE suggests that other properties hosting Weddings arrange a tour-exchange with these venues in order to envision the possibilities for raising the bar for Fallbrook / Wine Country Weddings. Bear in mind, the better the region's venue reputation, the more Brides that will be attracted. |
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The Grand Tradition Pala Mesa Resort Los Willows The Enchanted Forest |
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photo by honey stetson
honey stetson-photographer
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Sheri's Flowers Sheri Mahr not only goes way back with us - a certified CAKE-pal sharing her flower power with the Fallbrook Fantasy Wedding - but her personal heritage goes back even further, representing multiple generations throughout Fallbrook's history. She's not only a lady in the truest sense of the word, but she brings a sense of long-observed history to the Wedding florals she designs for Brides. |
Sheri's Flowers
E. Mission Road
Fallbrook California 92028
760 723 7756
sherisflowers@yahoo.com
www.sherisflowers.net
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Elegance On Display Elegance On Display, located just off Main Street in the heart of the Fallbrook Historical District, offers a wide variety of cakes. Having spent the past 20 years designing cakes, shop owner, Jennifer Duarte, excels at confections for all occasions. We urge all Bride's to call, text or e-mail Jennifer, set an appointment to meet at Elegance On Display, throw caution (and your diet) to the wind, and begin seriously tasting some serious Wedding cakes. |
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ELEGANCE ON DISPLAY
106 W. Hawthorne Street Suite C
Fallbrook California 92028
866 243 1865
www.eleganceondisplay.com
eleganceondisplay@yahoo.com
VENUES & VENDORS:
CAKE publishes the first of each month.
Depending on space, we will gladly publish noteworthy news
if publicity releases are received by the 25th of the month.
Please e-mail your PR to:
CAKE
Advertising Opportunities
Advertising is available on CAKE and in the Wine Country Weddings section of Neighbors Newspaper.
CAKE features banner ads - which include a link to advertisers' websites - while Wine Country Weddings offers display ads and directory listings.
Neighbors Newspaper is read by 240,000 annual readers, while CAKE counts subscribers throughout Southern California.
For further information, please contact:
Neighbors Newspaper
31566 Railroad Canyon Road #575
Canyon Lake, California 92587
951 244 7025
info@neighborsnewspaper.com
www.neighborsnewspaper.com
CAKE is the Wedding newsletter
of the
Temecula Valley wine country /
Fallbrook area
2 Inform. 2 Entertain.
|[caution: please read responsibly. CAKE is not your mother's wedding newsletter!]|
If
you experience a problem seeing CAKE text or photographs,
please visit the site directly by clicking:
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cartwright
& cartwright
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