Follow the great orange balloon to the wonders of wine tasting! We were greeted this beautiful Sunday afternoon at Celebrity Cruises’ (first of it’s kind) Great Wine Festival at the OC Great Park with wine glasses and wine holders to strap around our necks. What a clever way to enjoy the afternoon hands-free! These make great souvenirs!
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| Photo by Leyna @LeynasKitchen. |
Celebrity Cruises introduces the cruise industry’s first-ever land wine and food festival!
It’s for a Great Cause!
All proceeds benefit the Legal Aid Society of Orange County (LASOC) and Community Legal Services (CLS) in Southeast Los Angeles County, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, which provides free and low-cost civil legal services to individuals who might otherwise be denied access to justice. Since its founding in 1958, LASOC/CLS has assisted over 500,000 people – including families, children, victims of domestic violence and the elderly.
There were over 40 delicious wineries and craft breweries to sample as well as award-winning restaurants. It was the perfect occasion for a date or simply a fun event to experience with friends!
Key sponsors included Coast Magazine, Fiji Water, Air New Zealand, Tourism New Zealand featuring the wines of New Zealand as well as the Orange County Restaurant Association/Golden Foodie Awards.
Some of the wineries and breweries present were Cakebread, Jordan, JUSTIN, Grgich Hills, Freemark Abbey, St. Francis, Louis-Jadot, Zaca Mesa, Kendall Jackson, Round Pond, Mazzocco, Wente, Benziger, Malibu Rocky Oaks, Alaskan Brewing Company, Pyramid Brewing, Samuel Adams, BJ’s Brewhouse, and more.
Restaurants included Slapfish, Zimzala, Clay Oven (recipient of the 2013 Golden Foodie Awards for Best Indian Restaurant in Orange County), Maro Wood Grill, Bluewater Grill, Riptide, James Republic (Chef Dean James Max) and more.
| VP of F&B Operations / Executive Chef John Suley. Photo Courtesy of Celebrity Cruises. |
Celebrity’s Sommelier Chanelle Duarte and its VP of F&B Operations / Executive Chef John Suley, were also there where guests were able to sample Celebrity’s cuisine.
Scott Clifton, Director of Sales, states,
“Celebrity’s love affair with the culinary arts continues to flourish. We saw this opportunity to introduce food and wine aficionados to culinary experiences they can enjoy while on a Celebrity ship, as well as restaurants and beverages they have yet to try.”
| With Exec Chef Dave MacLennan of James Republic. |
My husband and I had a great time sampling all the wine and cuisines at Celebrity Cruise’s first ever Great Wine Festival, and we’re looking forward to attending their next one! (Btw, all our friends want to know how they can find their own hands-free wine holder). For more information, please visit their website at www.greatwinefestival.com.
___________________________________________ A review by Leyna Tran-Doan. Leyna loves fashion, food, fine-dining, traveling, and theater. To learn more about Leyna, please visit her website at www.LeynasKitchen.com.
About Celebrity Cruises:
Celebrity Cruises’ iconic “X” is the mark of modern luxury, with its cool, contemporary design and warm spaces; dining experiences where the design of the venues is as important as the cuisine; and the amazing service that only Celebrity can provide, all created to provide an unmatchable experience for vacationers’ precious time. Celebrity Cruises’ 11 ships offer modern luxury vacations visiting all seven continents. Celebrity also presents immersive cruise tour experiences in Alaska and Canada. Celebrity is one of five cruise brands operated by global cruise vacation company Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (NYSE, OSE: RCL). For more information, dial 1-800-437-3111, visit Celebrity Cruises, or call your travel agent.