Pure, Raw Honey from Carmel Honey Company, Started by 11-Year-Old Carmel Student, Makes for Great Gift for the Ultimate Foodie

Looking for the perfect gift for the ultimate foodie on your list this holiday season?

Carmel, CA, October 18, 2016 — Looking for the perfect gift for the ultimate foodie on your list this holiday season? How about a gift that is locally produced, helps the environment and contributes to research and education for the betterment of the world?

Honey from Carmel Honey Company, which was founded by a 13-year-old Carmel student Jake Reisdorf who was 11 at the time, fits the bill perfectly.

The four types of honey currently available — Sage Honey, Wildflower Honey, Orange Blossom Honey and Meadowfoam Honey — from Carmel Honey Company are all-natural, pure, raw, premium honey that come straight from the hive.

And Reisdorf, as part of his “Jake Gives Back” program, donates a portion of his honey sales proceeds to organizations that are expanding research and education efforts by addressing the production, nutritional value, health benefits, economics, and/or quality standards of honey bees and honey.

“I'm just an average 13-year-old who likes honey bees,” Reisdorf told California Bountiful magazine. “With beekeeping, you are helping the environment and it is really fun and interesting. I'm all about the education and practicing beekeeping and doing honey. The message that I want everyone to know is: If the bees go, we go, so help save the bees.”

In addition to individual jars of honey, Carmel Honey Company offers three special packages perfect for the foodie on your gift list: Carmel Honey Company Honey Sampler, Honeycomb and Honey Stix.

The Sampler is the ideal way to sample all four pure, raw, premium honey varietals. This set includes 3-oz. jars of Sage Honey, Wildflower Honey, Orange Blossom Honey and Meadowfoam Honey.

They are packaged ready for gift giving in an elegant clear gift bag and gold bow. It can also be opened and separated — allowing one to keep their favorite varietal and give the others as secret Santa gifts.

Honeycomb is the absolute purest form of honey. Circular frames are placed inside the beehive and the honey bees instinctively know to build it out first with wax, then fill it with honey. Since the honey bees make the wax and honey, the 8-oz rounds are 100% edible.

Harvested individually at different times, from a variety of hives, no two rounds will taste exactly the same. These honeycombs are delicious on a cheese board or cut and placed over soft-serve ice cream. Also an excellent gift for the foodie in your life.

Honey Stix offer a great boost of energy in a convenient package. In a lunchbox or purse this 12-pack is an easy way to curb sweet cravings the natural way. Filled with the Wildflower Honey varietal, each Stix contains 1 teaspoon of honey. Excellent portion control for tea and coffee and also an ideal stocking stuffer or unique gift for all ages.

And remember, when you purchase a jar of honey from the Carmel Honey Company, (or place a honey bee pollination hive in your backyard), you have contributed to the research and education of the public on the importance of pollination and the benefits of the honey bee.

Carmel Honey Company honey can be purchased directly from the website (which grew out of his elementary class project) at www.carmelhoneycompany.com.

About Jake and Carmel Honey Company:
Jake Reisdorf is the chief beekeeper and owner of Carmel Honey Company, which he started as part of a school project where his teacher assigned professions to each student and directed them to research the profession and build a presentation on it.

While researching his assigned profession of website designer, Jake, 11 years old at the time, decided to take it one step further and actually create a real website. At that time, Jake had taken one beekeeping class with his Dad and thought it would be cool to design a website about honey bees.

Not only did Jake get an “A” on the project, but it inspired him and spurred him to start Carmel Honey Company. That was three years ago.

His passion for honey bees grew as he learned about Colony Collapse Disorder and real honey. Expanding his research and education drove Jake to learn more about honey and bees and ultimately decide it was critical to give back.

In addition, Jake places hives on residential and commercial properties to raise awareness and encourage others to support the honey bee.

The “Jake Gives Back” program includes sharing honey bee knowledge with kids and adults of all ages. Whether he is in a classroom speaking to first-grade students, or at a corporate event talking with business owners and seasoned professionals, his passion and appreciation of how honey bees impact our world is infectious. He also “gives back” by making a financial donation to honey bee research and education organizations.

Jake currently attends 8th grade at Carmel Middle School and keeps his knowledge of Apiology (the scientific study of bees) current by continuing to manage his own honey bee hives and attending industry conferences throughout the country.

Carmel Honey Company
(831) 687-8511
www.CarmelHoneyCompany.com
www.Facebook.com/CarmelHoneyCompany
www.Instagram.com/CarmelHoneyCompany
www.Twitter.com/CarmelHoneyCo

Media Interviews Available
High Resolution Photography Available Below

Click on this link, https://rdgreenphotography.smugmug.com/Chatterbox-Public-Relations/Bee-Boy-Products-10-11-16/, enter password, chatter, lowercase to view the gallery.

Contact:
Marci Bracco Cain
Chatterbox PR
Salinas, CA 93901
(831) 747-7455
http://www.CarmelHoneyCompany.com

Vendange Carmel Carmel-by-the-Sea’s Only Wine Themed Hotel Celebrates the Holiday with a 10% Off Special Offer For November and December Only

Enter the ILOVEWINE Promotional Code and Be Rewarded

Carmel, CA, October 18, 2016 - Vendange Carmel Inn and Suites has partnered with 15 Monterey County wineries to create a unique guest experience, celebrating the bounty of Monterey County’s vineyards. Each winery sponsors one room or suite, providing its own creative touches. From the McIntyre Vineyards room with its impressive 100-year-old section of grapevine to J. Lohr’s wine barrel on the balcony, every winery’s room offers a signature luxury experience. The participating wineries are: Blair, Cima Collina, Dawn’s Dream, Galante, Holman Ranch, J. Lohr, Joullian, Manzoni, McIntyre, Otter Cove, Tudor, Twisted Roots and Ventana.

The rooms have sleek, modern bathrooms, with imported Spanish marble. Sleeping areas have memory foam-top beds, deluxe linens, and high-definition flat screen televisions. The separate Cottage Suite offers 650 sq. ft. of space, with a California King bed, 50” HF television, and kitchenette. It’s the perfect place for a honeymoon or romantic getaway. The Inn offers breakfast daily and wine tasting on weekends.

Vendange is celebrating the holidays with a special discount from November 1 – December 31st. Book your stay directly on www.vendangecarmel.com during the months of November and December and receive 10% off your booking. Must put in promotional code ILOVEWINE on the website. The 10% off is valid for all rooms except standard Queens.(Offer note valid on holidays, Thanksgiving and Christmas as well as black out days. Promotional code must be entered at the www.vendangecarmel.com website for the discount to apply.)

Vendange is located at 24815 Carpenter Street in Carmel, a short drive away from the Monterey Peninsula Airport, just off of scenic Highway 1, with free parking for guests. It’s minutes from downtown Carmel’s shopping, fine dining, scenic 17-Mile Drive, and the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Telephone 831- 624-6400; email: reservations@vendangecarmel.com

Contact:
Marci Bracco Cain
Chatterbox PR
Salinas, CA 93901
(831) 747-7455
http://www.vendangecarmel.com

The Clement Palo Alto Participates in Ronald McDonald House Programs, The Wishing Tree and Meals for Munchkins, During Holidays

For its first holiday season, The Clement Palo Alto, which opened in March, will not only decorate the hotel in holiday finery, but participate in the Ronald McDonald House at Stanford Wishing Tree, which will help families with critically ill children staying at the House.

Palo Alto, CA, October 17, 2016 — For its first holiday season, The Clement Palo Alto, which opened in March, will not only decorate the hotel in holiday finery, but participate in the Ronald McDonald House at Stanford Wishing Tree, which will help families with critically ill children staying at the House.

Each fall, the house creates hundreds of paper ornaments, each one listing a needed household item or toy for the house or our families. The Wishing Tree in the lobby of The Clement will be decorated with these ornaments and help provide comfort and support to families who must spend their holidays far from home.

Ronald McDonald House at Stanford creates a home-away-from-home and supportive community for families of children with life-threatening illnesses receiving specialized treatment at local hospitals.

In addition to the Wishing Tree, The Clement is also participating in Meals for Munchkins, a program of Ronald McDonald House in which families, co-workers, local restaurants, civic organizations, and many other groups provide meals to the children and their families three to five days out of any given week.

The Clement is providing a team of volunteers who will provide for and prepare meals in November and again in January as part of the program.

The volunteers choose a menu, shop for groceries and cook dinner for 85 family members and kids receiving treatment at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital in Palo Alto. In the past, menus have included spaghetti and meatballs, tacos, grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup, and chicken and fresh vegetables.

And, in addition to the Wishing Tree and the beautifully decorated lobby, the hotel will be serving hot cider and fresh-baked cookies during the holiday season.

The Clement Palo Alto opened its doors March 2016 and is one of the most innovative, personalized and unique luxury hotels in the country.

With 23 spacious and richly appointed one-bedroom suites, The Clement Palo Alto sets a new standard for personalized luxury accommodations in a contemporary residential-style atmosphere.

While unparalleled service is key to any great luxury hotel, The Clement Palo Alto takes its impeccable service to another level with an all-inclusive concept, including personalized concierge services, breakfast, lunch and dinner in an on-premise location of the guest's choice. All wine, beer and cocktails, in-room mini-refrigerator (stocked with the guest's favorites), and fully-stocked Guest Pantry available around the clock, are just a few of the amenities included in this all-inclusive experience.

In fact, The Clement Palo Alto is more than all-inclusive, it is all-exclusive, catering exclusively to the guest's personal tastes and desires.

The Clement Palo Alto is ideally located across from Stanford University and next to downtown Palo Alto, with its award-winning restaurants, world-class shopping and upscale spas. It is just 45 minutes south of San Francisco and only 30 minutes north of San Jose, not only making it convenient, but easily accessible to the world-famous sights and myriad activities of both cities.

Overall, The Clement Palo Alto offers a unique, one-of-a-kind 6-star experience in the heart of Silicon Valley with unparalleled personal service, all-inclusive luxury and privacy in a warm, inviting and luxurious residential environment.

The Clement Hotel
711 El Camino Real
Palo Alto, California 94301
650.322.7111
www.theclementpaloalto.com

About The Wishing Tree
For families with critically ill children staying at Ronald McDonald House? at Stanford, the holidays can be a particularly stressful time of year. Since 1979; the House has benefited from the generous support of individuals, businesses, and organizations within the community to help provide a home-like holiday experience for House families, many of whom are far away from home.

Participating in The Wishing Tree program is a wonderful way to support families residing at Ronald McDonald House at Stanford and a meaningful holiday activity for families, schools, businesses, Scout troops, and office parties.

New, unused, and unwrapped gifts are greatly appreciated. All donations to Ronald McDonald House at Stanford are tax-deductible. For more information please visit: www.RMHStanford.org/WishingTree

About Ronald McDonald House at Stanford
When severe illness strikes a family, it isn’t just the patient who is affected. Families ?nd themselves facing a deluge of medical terms, mounting hospital bills, and anxiety over their child’s health.

Instead of focusing on their ill child, parents and caregivers often have to scramble to ?nd a place to stay near the hospital, plan where to get their next meal, and wonder how they can manage all the little things.

Ronald McDonald House at Stanford accommodates 47 families per night and provides a community of support which ensures families far from home will have the resources they need to allow them to focus on their number one priority: the health and well-being of their sick child.

In addition to programs and services that help promote a sense of normalcy, the House features a communal kitchen and dining room, children’s activity room, teen lounge, computer center, family library, and ?tness center. Learn more about House programs and services at: www.RMHStanford.org.

Contact:
Marci Bracco Cain
Chatterbox PR
Salinas, CA 93901
(831) 747-7455
http://www.RMHStanford.org

Singer Elijah Rock Launches IndieGoGo Campaign for Great American Songbook Album ‘Gershwin For My Soul’

Cleveland-born baritone Elijah Rock is pleased to announce the IndieGoGo campaign for his newest album, ‘Gershwin For My Soul’.

Los Angeles CA, October 14, 2016 - Cleveland-born baritone Elijah Rock is pleased to announce the IndieGoGo campaign for his newest album, ‘Gershwin For My Soul’. Ongoing through October 20, 2016, the singer’s campaign hopes to raise $40,000 for the promotion of the recently recorded traditional pop album. Fans and supporters can donate via IndieGoGo.com and Rock has made exciting perks available to those who donate at every price point. These perks range from a $5 single download and facebook shout out all the way up to a $5,000 VIP trip (including airfare) for two to an Elijah Rock performance along with a variety of Elijah Rock merch.

‘Gershwin For My Soul’ represents a full circle journey for Rock, as he sang to his first Gershwin songs at 16 in “Porgy & Bess” at the Cleveland Institute of Music. Over the years, Rock has continued to return back to the classics penned in the early 20th century by Ira and George Gershwin. Carrying this art forward, Elijah Rock dove into this project with relish and the trio of producer/arranger/pianist Kevin Toney, bassist John B. Williams, and drummer Greg Paul, plus guitarist Jacques Lesure in the west coast jazz sanctuary of Nolan Shaheed’s studio.

Stream “Gershwin For My Soul” – PRIVATE LINK

The 12-song CD opens with “S’Wonderful,” a tender fitting contemporary take a la Al Jarreau. “Fascinatin’ Rhythm” and “Our Love Is Here To Stay” are drenched in that punchy syncopated manner that most recalls their original era, the latter with some of Toney’s signature piano flourish. “I Can’t Get Started” swings and chugs with a four on the floor groove while the lovely “Long Ago and Far Away” floats on a slow hot wind bossa beat. Elijah milks the rarely heard extended introduction to “How Long Has This Been Goin’ On” before it falls like feathers into the brushed blues of its well known verses.

The second half of ‘Gershwin For My Soul” is where more chances are taken. The title track – the sole original penned by Rock and Toney – is a hip churchy blues where Elijah testifies his fascination with all things Gershwin. It’s followed boldly by “Tchaikovsky (And the Russians),” a hip hop swing interlude perfect post the Tonys-sweeping genre bending musical “Hamilton”. And Elijah brings his tap shoes in for solo and drum-dueling duties on the revival rave-up stomp “I Got Plenty O’ Nuttin’.” Most movingly, the focus becomes sheer aural nudity on a trio of ballads Elijah submerges in into that shat showcase the full resonant beauty of his voice and his skills of interpretation from the acting world. They are the relaxed and romantic “Shall We Dance,” the parlor song swoon of “Love Walked In,” and the tour-de-force closer “Isn’t it a Pity,” a bluesy ballad wish of delicious diction and a heart-stopping dip into a cinematic so long.

“Before this experience, I hadn’t really embraced the balladeer aspect of my gift,” Rock reflects. “It was about me being vulnerable enough to know I could do it. It’s been an interesting transformation… everything slowed down. There’s space for introspection and that moment to moment feeling of the lyric. I fell in love with the space between the notes and the simplicity of telling the story.”

Rock – whose resume boasts a decade and a half of acclaimed, across-the-board accomplishments in stage, film, and television – found the perfect collaborator in Kevin Toney whose work as a keyboardist, composer, arranger, author educator, a co-founder of the 70s R&B-Jazz group the Blackbyrds provided the optimal springboard for Rock to bounce concepts off. ”Kevin Toney is a virtuoso whose experience speaks for itself,” Rock says. We brought our authentic creative selves to the material and in that it because uniquely ours.”

Follow Elijah Rock:
IndieGoGo
Website
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
YouTube

Contact:
Chip Schutzman
Miles High Productions
PO Box 93157
Hollywood CA 90093
323-806-0400
chip@mileshighproductions.com
http://www.mileshighproductions.com

Indie Charting Angie and the Deserters Release Second Americana and Alt-Country EP ‘You’ October 7 2016

Southern California based band Angie and the Deserters introduce their highly anticipated EP, You, which will be available on October 7, 2016 through Topanga Canyon Records.

Los Angeles, CA, October 06, 2016 - Southern California based band Angie and the Deserters introduce their highly anticipated EP, You, which will be available on October 7, 2016 through Topanga Canyon Records. The six-song collection includes the first released single and the title-track “You”. The EP is a follow-up to this year’s Blood Like Wine record, which featured hit lead singles, “Country Radio” and “The Gift” and represents the second half of their recent Nashville recordings.

Angie and the Deserters consistently display a high sense of quality and professionalism throughout their brand from their music, to their music videos and to their artwork. The cover photo on the You record features lead vocalist, Angie Bruyere which was taken by the legendary rock n’ roll photographer, Henry Diltz.

Diltz has worked with legendary artists such as The Eagles, Neil Young, Linda Rondstadt, The Doors, Jimi Hendrix, and so many more.

“Having the experience of spending the day shooting with Henry Diltz was a dream for me. He really captured me in a way that no one else has,” Bruyere says.

In their second EP, Angie and the Deserters continue to illustrate their raw California sound with their dreamy guitar riffs and gritty vocals. The band dives into the second chapter of Angie’s poetic lyricism and demonstrates a creative connection with their unique sound. You crosses genre lines and mixes the EP with half Americana oriented songs and the other half layered with alternative country influences. Angie’s gravelly and rule breaking vocals are complimented by the Deserters’ (Kyle Stevens, Danny Hulsizer, & Chris Lawrence) compelling instrumentals. Together the group evokes vivid imagery and brings their heartwarming stories to life.

“The impeccable production puts everything forward with a bright sheen, but there’s plenty of bite here for even the biggest sound merchant. Angie and the Deserters can coax deep feeling from their songwriting and instruments, but they are equally capable of harnessing considerable firepower when the moment calls for it.” – No Depression

The band’s title-track, “You” describes a time of realization in a withering relationship. Bruyere’s chilling vocals reinforce that the recurring secrets must end and that it is time to move on without her loved one. Their upcoming music video tells the story of an old married couple that begins to grow apart. The older woman must leave behind the man she once loved. Filmed in Bandit Town, California, the “You” music video was directed by Michael Schmidt (21 Days Under the Sky).

“Angie and the Deserters frontwoman spits and snarls with a smoky seduction”- The Alternate Root

It is no question that the band injects pure passion into their music and sets a unique listening experience to their audience. Angie and the Deserters’ set an impactful mark into the scene with their first music video, “Country Radio” which reached over 32K views on Facebook and YouTube. The band’s second single “The Gift” debuted at #1 on Radio Indie Alliance charts the first week of its release. The band was also featured and reviewed by The Country Startpage, The Alternate Root, Fender and more. Be sure to keep an eye out for the band’s upcoming singles “Forgetting to Forget” and “Stay” off the You EP.

You is the second release from the bands Nashville sessions which were recorded in the legendary Castle Recording Studios with renowned country producer, Jeff Huskins (Clint Black, Keith Urban) and mastered by Grammy Winning, Bod Ludwig (Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix).

For more information, please visit: www.AngieandTheDeserters.com

For all PR inquiries please contact: Chip Schutzman- Founder, Miles High Productions, Chip@mileshighproductions.com, 323-871-4821.

Contact:
Chip Schutzman
Miles High Productions
PO Box 93157
Hollywood, CA 90093
323-871-4821
chip@mileshighproductions.com
http://www.mileshighproductions.com

Pop-Rock Singer-Songwriter Jonathan Cavier Releases Cheap Trick Cover “The Flame”

“The Flame” is the second installment in the “Cavier Covers” series.

Los Angeles, CA, October 06, 2016 – Pop singer-songwriter Jonathan Cavier has released his version of the classic Cheap Trick song “The Flame” available now on iTunes and other major retail outlets. This single is part of the new “Cavier Covers” series in which Jonathan covers songs that are important to his musical life. The first song in the Cavier Covers series is a faithful rendition of Duran Duran’s “Save a Prayer” also available now.

BUY ON ITUNES                                                                                             BUY ON AMAZON

Jonathan Cavier has always been a fan of Cheap Trick and their music has influenced his own in a variety of ways. One subtle page that Jonathan has taken out of the Cheap Trick book is the use of a twelve-string bass on his debut solo album Premier, which was released earlier this year. Tom Peterson, bassist for Cheap Trick, is well known for playing a twelve-string bass, and is even credited as the brainchild behind the instrument’s creation in 1977. As the second song in the Cavier Covers series, “The Flame” gives Cavier a unique chance to highlight this instrument that is so important to the sound of his original music.

Cavier has also recently released a performance video for his new studio song “Promise”, which appears on Premier. The video shows Jonathan in his studio, performing the song with his signature twelve-string acoustic guitar and keyboard setup. You can view the video along with vlogs from Jonathan about various topics on his YouTube channel.

About Jonathan Cavier:
Originally from Northern California, Cavier (pronounced “cav-AIR”) has been based in Phoenix, AZ for several years and up until recently was performing as Alan Clark in atmospheric pop duo EyeTalk. Over the course of ten years and five albums, this venture saw Cavier’s music reach audiences as far-flung as Italy, the UK, and Australia. After five albums and hundreds of shows played throughout the US, Cavier has reimagined himself and has formed a new musical identity on his debut solo album Premier. In addition to his musical endeavors, Cavier is a semi-professional tennis player and a member of the USTA and IFT. Cavier says that practicing and playing in tournaments is like “the fountain of youth.”

Follow Jonathan:
Website: http://caviermusic.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JonathanCavierMusic
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jcaviermusic/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/jcaviermusic

For more information, to request an interview, or for a review copy of “The Flame”, “Save a Prayer”, or ‘Premier’ contact:

Chip Schutzman
Miles High Productions
323-871-4821
PO Box 93157
Hollywood, CA 90093
www.mileshighproductions.com
chip@mileshighproductions.com

Cranky George to Release Debut Indie Rock Full Length Fat Lot of Good on October 14

Fat Lot of Good features the first single and video “Nighttime”, available now!

Los Angeles, CA, October 04, 2016 – Cranky George, the folk-influenced indie rock band featuring actor Dermot Mulroney and co-founder of The Pogues, James Fearnley, will be releasing their debut full-length album, Fat Lot of Good, on October 14. The album will be released in digital and CD formats along with a limited edition of 450 double gatefold albums of heavyweight vinyl, each signed and numbered by the band. The music on the record, while diverse, features common threads such as Cranky George’s signature folk-inspired instrumentation – including accordion, violin, mandolin, acoustic guitars and ukuleles.

Recorded over a span of five years at Brad’s Seagrass Studio, Fat Lot of Good tips music from the bucket that dredges the confluence of the Danube, the Shannon and the Missouri. The album embraces fourteen songs, individually divergent, but which together ply a course from haven, round horn and back to harbor, by means of lullaby, torch song, sea shanty and murder ballad – an album which, with compassion, irony, humor and sometimes horror, tells stories of desire, love, loss, cruelty, ruination and pity.

One highlight of the album is the first single, “Nighttime” which draws from a variety of influences including legendary Canadian indie rockers Arcade Fire and is available now. Cranky George describes “Nighttime” as “Big in the way that Coldplay is big,” and says that the song is “A siren call for lovers – for anyone who's ever slept beside someone they loved and wished the night would never end.” Featuring Kieran Mulroney on vocals, the song is a mid-tempo song from the heart and draws equally from groups as diverse as Elbow, The Decemberists, Coldplay, and Band of Horses while incorporating dripping guitars and horns at the climax. The accompanying music video features the five members of Cranky George as they perform the song and interweaves the story of a woman in distress, pining and longing for a lost love.

Watch the Video for “Nighttime” Here

As a perfect foil to the effervescence of the musicianship in Cranky George, the band’s blend of vocal harmonies, its cross-graining of voices – James’s chiselly drone, the honeyed timbre of Sebastian’s voice, Brad’s incisive falsetto, the Mulroney brothers’ baritones – Kieran’s urgent, Dermot’s lusty – is as sturdy as marine plywood.

About Cranky George:
Los Angeles based Cranky George has brought together members and musical styles from both sides of the Atlantic to create a unique take on folk-influenced indie rock that is as special and diverse as the members themselves.

James Fearnley, co- founder and accordionist for the London-Irish folk-punk band, The Pogues, and the Mulroney brothers, Kieran and Dermot, siblings from a large, Irish-American family from Alexandria, VA, first came together as neighbors in Hollywood, California. While both of the Mulroney siblings are known for their work on and behind the screen with movies, they are both classically trained musicians; Dermot on the cello, mandolin, and guitar and Kieran on violin, ukulele, and tenor guitar. In 1994, they formed the LA based band, The Low and Sweet Orchestra, which released an acclaimed record, Goodbye to All That, on Interscope Records in 1996. After The Low and Sweet Orchestra split, both Mulroney brothers and Fearnley formed the Cranky George Trio.

During this time, Brad Wood, who has produced records for artist from the likes of The Bangles, Ben Lee, Pete Yorn, and Veruca Salt, was added on bass. To round out the new line up of Cranky George, Sebastian Sheehan Visconti, a sound designer and sound effects editor who notably worked on the television series The Muppets and The Flash, joined on percussion. After five years of work, Cranky George’s full-length debut – Fat Lot of Good – will be released on October 14, 2016.

Follow Cranky George:
PledgeMusic
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram

See Cranky George Live:
October 15 – Molly Malone’s – Los Angeles – ‘Fat Lot of Good’ CD Release Party – Tickets
November 5 – Molly Malone’s – Los Angeles
November 19 – Molly Malone’s – Los Angeles
December 3 – Molly Malone’s – Los Angeles

For more information, to request an interview, or for a review copy of ‘Fat Lot of Good’ or “Nighttime” contact:

Chip Schutzman
Miles High Productions
PO Box 93157
Hollywood, CA 90093
323-871-4821
chip@mileshighproductions.com
http://www.mileshighproductions.com

Top 6 Beneficial Reasons to buy G Suite through Reseller

Google is moving towards having their clients sign up through G Suite resellers and partners.

San Jose, CA, October 04, 2016 - Google is moving towards having their clients sign up through G Suite resellers and partners. Purchasing G Suite through reseller adds value for your organization and provides integrations for your work environment at a discount. There are many reasons for purchasing G Suite from a reseller such as personalized support, training, app solutions for your business, and additional benefits for what the consumer pays.

1. Data migration and deployment support

Having Netkiller as your G Suite service provider is highly beneficial for your data migration process. With our dedicated Netkiller Support team, we have the experience to assist your company users with the migration process. Our team is here to ensure that your company has a smooth transition without any downtime. All information, data, and files will be safely transferred with security. We are here to assist throughout the deployment process for your company.

2. Free priority support & Escalation

Choosing Netkiller as your G Suite reseller makes your company our top priority. Our Netkiller Support team tends to all inquiries such as migration concerns, integration help, and ongoing functionality at no additional cost. Although Google offers critical system support, the support is only available if your G Suite is not working. Purchasing G Suite with Netkiller comes with fully dedicated support to assist you with any questions or concerns. We will also have the ability to escalate your case with Google’s Priority Case Escalation, and Netkiller provides 24/7 chat support at no additional cost to you.

3. Support and consultation beyond G Suite

Netkiller offers many cloud services and readily has app solutions to make the most of G Suite and correlates with other information services. A workflow solution example we recommend is Collavate, a Document Workflow application that provides your company with an Enterprise Social Networking Platform, it is loaded with features to enhance your team communication and collaboration. With processing documents, an approval system, workflow deadlines, team posts, and much more, Netkiller strives to provide our customers with the ultimate package for a great work environment. We are also a reseller of Chrome and can offer Chromebooks, Chromebox for Meetings, Chrome management console and much more.

4. Training and change management

With easy tutorial-videos, webinars, user-friendly guides, and live-chat, we provide training to help users navigate through our systems and how to get up and going with G Suite. Netkiller also has e-learning solutions offered in 11 different languages. We are familiar with businesses needing Change Management. Netkiller can assist you with company transitions to G Suite and an integrated workflow solution application.

5. Custom Application Development

Netkiller understands every business has its own specific needs and preference. In addition to the products we offer such as an document workflow application, we provide our customers with a Customization application development on Google Cloud Platform option for a one time fee. Contact us for a quote!

6. Discount Offered for G Suite

Whether you are looking to purchase G Suite Basic or G Suite Business, we can offer you a discount for the same package offered by Google including additional benefits for your company. Contact us today to purchase G Suite through Netkiller!

Contact:
Harry Jung
Netkiller America Inc.
2033 Gateway Place, Ste 500
San Jose, CA 95110
(408) 641-0114
harryj@netkiller.com
http://www.netkiller.com

Wines for a Worthy Cause Give the Gift of Jarman Wines and Give Back this Holiday Season

By purchasing Jarman Wines you will not only enjoy certified organic ultra premium wines, but you will be supporting a worthy cause, finding a cure for Alzheimer's disease.

Salinas, CA, September 22, 2016 - Toast the holidays with a wine that gives back. By purchasing Jarman Wines you will not only enjoy certified organic ultra premium wines, but you will be supporting a worthy cause, finding a cure for Alzheimer's disease.

Jarman Wines make the perfect hostess gifts and party offerings. Even better, each purchase will help to benefit the Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation (ADDF). In addition, the winery has opened a tasting lounge in Carmel Valley that offers three levels of wine tasting and three specially themed picnic packages. Gift certificates for the picnic packages make the perfect holiday gift.

To honor her late mother's memory, Holman Ranch CEO and eldest daughter Hunter Lowder took the best hand-selected estate grapes and created two premium varietals—Jarman Chardonnay and Jarman Pinot Noir—with $1 from each bottle sold going to the ADDF.

Jarman Lowder, Hunter’s mother, grew up in Chattanooga, Tenn., and lived up to being voted “best all around” in high school. She earned a nursing degree, worked as an R.N. and raised three daughters with her husband, Thomas. An active volunteer, animal lover, athlete and enthusiastic traveler, Jarman wanted to spend her golden years making wine with her husband at Holman Ranch, an idyllic piece of property in Carmel Valley, Ca. they purchased to realize that dream. Tragically, Lowder died in March 2011 at age 60 following a long battle with early-onset Alzheimer's disease.

Holman Ranch and Jarman Wines have partnered with the ADDF to support research toward treatment and a cure for Alzheimer’s disease and to celebrate the life of Jarman Lowder.

“We wanted to honor her, give back and increase awareness,” said her daughter Hunter. “Everything we do here and the reason all this exists is because of her.”

“We appreciate the generous support of Holman Ranch and the Lowder family,” says Dr. Howard Fillit, founding Executive Director and Chief Science Officer for the ADDF. “And we are proud that 100 percent of every dollar donated through this partnership will go directly to fund drug research for Alzheimer’s disease.”

Dr. Fillit knew Jarman Lowder personally and was excited by the opportunity to honor her legacy in such a meaningful way.

Give the Gift of a Wine Society Membership:
Enjoy the prestige of being a part of an exclusive membership! Receiving shipments of limited-production Jarman Estate Pinot Noir and Jarman Estate Chardonnay is an excellent way to build a cellar through two special installments of Jarman vintages, Heritage Society and Legacy Society. Email info@jarmanwine.com for more information on the exclusive benefits. Membership is limited to 150 members due to the very limited case production. For more information on benefits visit the website here.

About Jarman Wines:
Jarman’s terroir (a French word that speaks to a wine’s place of origin, its subtle nuances of traceable character, flavor, lineage and integrity) refers to a special place in Carmel Valley — and also to a special woman, family matriarch Jarman Fearing Lowder, who inspired a family to bottle the essence of a mother’s spirit.

A Jarman wine reflects quality, with only the best local grapes used during an artisanal, small-batch winemaking process.

- Newest offerings from the Jarman estate include; 2014 Estate Chardonnay, 2014 Estate Pinot Noir, and 2013 Estate Pinot Noir.

Jarman wine uses only 100-percent estate-grown, certified organic and certified sustainable grapes. Aged in French oak barrels, Jarman’s vintages are held in limited supply, and are not available anywhere outside their tasting room in Carmel Valley Village (open noon to 5 p.m., Thurs.-Sun.; or by appointment), next to the historical Will’s Fargo Restaurant & Bar, the restaurant the family purchased in 2014.

The tastings will feature full-fledged experiences, including tours and wine education, and each culinary parings that complements the wine. The new Jarman Tasting Lounge & Patio provides visitors with four unique experiences: Vin de Table, Cru Tasting, Premier Cru Experience and the Grand Cru Experience.
For more information call Jarman Tasting Lounge & Patio at 831-298-7300 or email info@jarmanwine.com.

Contact:
Jarman Tasting Lounge & Patio
18 W. Carmel Valley Road,
Carmel Valley, CA
Website: jarmanwine.com
Phone: 831-298-7300
E-mail: info@jarmanwine.com

About the ADDF:
Founded in 1998 by co-chairmen Leonard A. and Ronald S. Lauder, the Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation is dedicated to rapidly accelerating the discovery of drugs to prevent, treat and cure Alzheimer's disease. It follows a venture philanthropy model, funding promising research in academia and the biotech industry. It’s the only such charity solely dedicated to funding the development of drugs for Alzheimer’s. Since its founding, the ADDF has awarded more than $75 million to fund over 450 Alzheimer’s drug discovery programs and clinical trials in 18 countries. By supporting innovative research projects around the globe, the ADDF increases the chance of finding a cure.

Contact:
Marci Bracco Cain
Chatterbox PR
Salinas, CA 93901
(831) 747-7455
http://www.jarmanwine.com

Robert Miller’s Project Grand Slam Releases New Single “The Queen’s Carnival”

“The Queen’s Carnival” is Title Track and Third Single From Group’s Most Recent Release

New York, NY, September 20, 2016 – Robert Miller’s Project Grand Slam, the jazz rock fusion band led by the acclaimed bassist/composer, is excited to announce the release of their latest single and title track from their new album The Queen’s Carnival. An upbeat, fun tune, Miller describes the track as “a fiesta – a Latin celebration”. The track’s accompanying music video, which will be released on Monday, September 19th, captures the sights of a Carnival celebration, a perfect match for the scenes evoked by the song. “The Queen’s Carnival” is a song that will find its way into your soul and inspire you to get up, dance, and enjoy life.

You can view the music video for “The Queen’s Carnival” via this private link.

Project Grand Slam’s 4th and latest album, The Queen’s Carnival, is available now in digital form via CEN/RED Distribution, a division of Sony Music. This exciting and fresh take on jazz rock fusion features eleven tracks, including nine original songs by Robert and both vocal and instrumental versions of Robert’s reimagined version of the Kinks’ classic, “You Really Got Me.” Dave Davies, guitarist and co-founder of The Kinks, had this to say about PGS’s version of “You Really Got Me” – “Very unique version and I am liking it!”. The new album draws from a variety of influences across genres as diverse as Celtic folk and afro-Cuban rhythms while highlighting Miller’s unique approach to blending jazz and rock into an entirely new sound.

This album follows the successful 2015 release of their third album, “Made in New York”, which featured the hit songs “New York City Groove” and “Fire” (Robert’s highly acclaimed reimagined cover of the Jimi Hendrix classic).

About Project Grand Slam:
Robert originally formed the band in 2007. Project Grand Slamʼs first two celebrated CDs, Play (2008) and Spring Dance (2012), had three top radio singles – “The Captain Of Her Heart” (feat. Judie Tzuke on vocals) from Play, and “Catch You Later” and “Spring Dance” from Spring Dance. The band also had a featured role in the hit NBC-TV series Lipstick Jungle starring Brooke Shields and Kim Raver, with five of the bandʼs tunes featured in the soundtrack and Robert having a speaking part.

In November 2015 the band opened for Scott Weiland (formerly of Stone Temple Pilots) at NYC’s Gramercy Theater. In May 2016 the band opened for 4-time Grammy Award nominee Boney James at the Bergen Performing Arts Center in NJ. In July the band was the featured performer at the Kirby Center For The Performing Arts in PA. In August PGS performed at the Tin Angel in Philadelphia and at Garcia’s at The Capitol Theater in Port Chester, NY (following YES). Also in August PGS hosted a CD Release Party at NYC’s Rockwood Music Hall. In October the band will again open for Boney James at the Ridgefield Playhouse and in December PGS will be the featured performer at the Highland Lakes Concert Series in NJ. The band continues to play at various clubs in NYC including a monthly residency at The Groove.

Follow Project Grand Slam:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | SoundCloud | BandsInTown

See Project Grand Slam Live:

September 23	The Groove	New York, NY
October 19	Ridgefield Playhouse	Ridgefield, CT
October 22	The Groove	New York, NY
November 12	The Groove	New York, NY
December 2	Highland Lakes Concert Series	Highland Lakes, NJ
December 3	The Groove	New York, NY

For more information, to request an interview, or for a review copy of “The Queen’s Carnival” single or full album contact:

Chip Schutzman
Miles High Productions
PO Box 93157
Hollywood, CA 90093
323-871-4821
chip@mileshighproductions.com
http://projectgrandslam.com/

The Thought-Provoking Electro-Pop Group, AOA Announces their Second Single “Future Back”, Out 9/16/16!

The socially conscious trio Astronauts of Antiquity (AOA) are set to release their newest single “Future Back” on September 16, 2016.

Los Angeles, CA, September 19, 2016 - The socially conscious trio Astronauts of Antiquity (AOA) are set to release their newest single “Future Back” on September 16, 2016. The electro- pop group returns with their second stimulating track off of their forthcoming Beyond The Maze EP, available in 2017. The single will be followed with an accompanying music video.

It seems that even with robots love knows no bounds. At least this is the case in the new Astronauts of Antiquity “Future Back” music video. The band teamed up with TribeSound Productions, a Philadelphia based production company to produce this veiled millennial social commentary love story staring.....robots. Nuclear fallout, stunning post-apocalyptic scenery, adventure, and a never ending romantic quest amidst the forces of evil set the tone for this fun and provocative film short. Look for the release by mid-October.

After releasing their debut hip-hop single “Paradise”, AOA showcases their versatility and eclectic talents with a new electronica and alternative pop format in their latest release. Sonic wizard and producer, Ivica begins “Future Back” with a Daft Punk influenced vocal effect that sets a glitchy and experimental tone to the track. The song then eases into lead singer, India’s passionate vocals that narrate the appreciation of love and nature as she expresses her desire for a future of harmony across the world. Her lush vocal melodies are laced over B. Rhyan’s dreamy and funky guitar riffs that are blended perfectly with Ivica’s electro-organic elements. Overall, AOA’s dynamic chemistry creates a vibe of futuristic funk that accentuates their contemporary sound.

In addition to AOA’s unique and refreshing sound in the urban, electronic and pop scene, the collective also offers thought- provoking and motivating words of wisdom within their lyrics. The group’s efforts intend to raise awareness to the many social concerns across the world. AOA’s first single “Paradise” was already featured in a Huffington Post article that discussed the harmful effects of genetically modified organisms. “Paradise” was also featured on other news sources such as Popped Culture.

"First see that all life is sacred, that there is a spiritual spark in every living being from the earth itself down to the tiniest insect. With that equal vision we will be more inclined to make policies based on compassion and the greater good. Without this fundamental shift we will live in a world of fear, which teeters on the brink of nuclear engagement at the hands of those whose motives are not based on higher principles. 'Future Back' is a charming/alarming wakeup call" – B. Rhyan

Aside from informative sites, AOA has been featured on popular hip-hop sites such as ThisIs50, Hip Hop on Deck, SOHH and more. “There comes a time when you think you’ve heard it all but then Astronauts of Antiquity comes smashing down your door in supersonic speed and slaps you in the face with the force of a thousand suns,” says SOHH.

For more information please visit: http://aoamusic.com/

Contact:
Chip Schutzman
Miles High Productions
PO Box 93157
Hollywood CA 90093
323-871-4821
http://www.mileshighproductions.com

2017 Big Sur Foragers Festival Dates Announced Festival Announces Partners & Details Tickets on Sale

Big Sur Health Center announced January 13 – 15, 2017, as the dates of its annual Big Sur Foragers Festival.

Big Sur, CA, September 18, 2016 - Big Sur Health Center announced January 13 – 15, 2017, as the dates of its annual Big Sur Foragers Festival. This year’s partners include Carmel Valley Ranch, the sister property of longtime host Ventana Big Sur. Due to renovations at Ventana Big Sur, the Fungus Face-Off and the Grand Chef dinner will take place at Carmel Valley Ranch this year.

The event has traditionally served as a fundraiser for the Big Sur Health Center. The community’s non-profit health center will receive the proceeds from the foraging events to help support the continued presence of local healthcare services in the Big Sur area.

New events for 2016 include:

· A new Friday night winemaker dinner series held at select restaurants throughout Monterey County. Some partners include La Balena, Alvardo Street Brewery and more! Details to come

· Post Ranch Inn will host a Friday night fundraiser for the second year! Details to come.

· Join us for a special evening in the legendary wine room at Hyatt Carmel Highlands. Chef Chad Minton and the culinary team will create a three course meal paired with wines from Bonny Doon Vineyard. The evening will begin with a reception of passed appetizers, wines from Bonny Doon and live music from Dino Vera from 6:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. At 7:00 p.m. enjoy a three course dinner in the legendary wine room. Meet the culinary team and Bonny Doon Vineyard! There are only 24 seats available. Tickets are $175 per person

Back by Popular Demand:

· An exclusive Friday night dinner at Sierra Mar restaurant at Post Ranch Inn with a special menu and a unique opportunity to enjoy wines from their award-winning wine cellar. This event is limited to 14 people.

· This year’s partners include Carmel Valley Ranch, the summer-camp-inspired sister resort of longtime host Ventana Big Sur that sprawls across 500 acres in the nearby Carmel Valley. Due to renovations at Ventana Big Sur, this year’s Fungus Face-Off and the Grand Chef dinner will take place at this playful destination resort that celebrates a deep connection to the land with passionate culinary, wine and farming artisans, and guest learning experiences ranging from organic gardening and foraging to wine making and lavender and beekeeping workshops. The “Fungus Face-Off” will take place in a beautiful tented setting on the Pete Dye-designed golf course at Carmel Valley Ranch. This popular event sells out early. There are 250 tickets available. Tickets are $65 per person.

· Grand Chef Dinner at Carmel Valley Ranch — details to be announced soon.

· Foraging walk led by local experts at Ventana Big Sur. “Wild Mushroom Walks and Talk” at Pfeiffer State Park led by expert mushroom foragers. This year hikes will be held on Sunday. There are 30 spaces available per walk. Tickets are $60 per person.

For event details visit www.bigsurforagersfestival.org . Tickets can be purchased at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/big-sur-foragers-festival-2017-tickets-26923723582.

Contact:
Marci Bracco Cain
Chatterbox PR
Salinas, CA 93901
(831) 747-7455
http://www.bigsurforagersfestival.org

Los Angeles-Based Indie Rock Band Cranky George to Release New Single “Nighttime” on September 16

“Nighttime” is the first single from Cranky George’s debut full-length album, Fat Lot of Good, out October 14 in digital, CD, and limited-edition vinyl formats.

Los Angeles, CA, September 15, 2016 – Cranky George, the folk-influenced indie rock band featuring actor Dermot Mulroney and co-founder of The Pogues, James Fearnley, will be releasing the first single from their upcoming debut full-length album, Fat Lot of Good, on September 16. This single, “Nighttime” draws from a variety of influences including legendary Canadian indie rockers Arcade Fire and will be accompanied by a music video, which will also be released on Sept. 16. Cranky George’s album Fat Lot of Good is their first full-length album and will be released on October 14.

Cranky George describes “Nighttime” as “Big in the way that Coldplay is big,” and says that the song is “A siren call for lovers – for anyone who's ever slept beside someone they loved and wished the night would never end.” Featuring Kieran Mulroney on vocals, the song is a mid-tempo song from the heart and draws equally from groups as diverse as Elbow, The Decemberists, Coldplay, and Band of Horses while incorporating dripping guitars and horns at the climax. The accompanying music video features the five members of Cranky George as they perform the song and interweaves the story of a woman in distress, pining and longing for a lost love.

Recorded over a span of five years at Brad’s Seagrass Studio, Fat Lot of Good tips music from the bucket that dredges the confluence of the Danube, the Shannon and the Missouri. The album will be released in digital and CD formats, with a limited edition of 450 double gatefold albums of heavyweight vinyl, each signed and numbered by the band. The music on the record, while diverse, features common threads such as Cranky George’s signature folk-inspired instrumentation – including accordion, violin, mandolin, acoustic guitars and ukuleles.

As a perfect foil to the effervescence of the musicianship in Cranky George, the band’s blend of vocal harmonies, its cross-graining of voices – James’s chiselly drone, the honeyed timbre of Sebastian’s voice, Brad’s incisive falsetto, the Mulroney brothers’ baritones – Kieran’s urgent, Dermot’s lusty – is as sturdy as marine plywood.

Fat Lot of Good embraces fourteen songs, individually divergent, but which together ply a course from haven, round horn and back to harbor, by means of lullaby, torch song, sea shanty and murder ballad – an album which, with compassion, irony, humor and sometimes horror, tells stories of desire, love, loss, cruelty, ruination and pity.

About Cranky George:
Los Angeles based Cranky George has brought together members and musical styles from both sides of the Atlantic to create a unique take on folk-influenced indie rock that is as special and diverse as the members themselves.

James Fearnley, co- founder and accordionist for the London-Irish folk-punk band, The Pogues, and the Mulroney brothers, Kieran and Dermot, siblings from a large, Irish-American family from Alexandria, VA, first came together as neighbors in Hollywood, California. While both of the Mulroney siblings are known for their work on and behind the screen with movies, they are both classically trained musicians; Dermot on the cello, mandolin, and guitar and Kieran on violin, ukulele, and tenor guitar. In 1994, they formed the LA based band, The Low and Sweet Orchestra, which released an acclaimed record, Goodbye to All That, on Interscope Records in 1996. After The Low and Sweet Orchestra split, both Mulroney brothers and Fearnley formed the Cranky George Trio.

During this time, Brad Wood, who has produced records for artist from the likes of The Bangles, Ben Lee, Pete Yorn, and Veruca Salt, was added on bass. To round out the new line up of Cranky George, Sebastian Sheehan Visconti, a sound designer and sound effects editor who notably worked on the television series The Muppets and The Flash, joined on percussion. After five years of work, Cranky George’s full-length debut – Fat Lot of Good – will be released on October 14, 2016.

Follow Cranky George:
PledgeMusic
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram

See Cranky George Live:
October 15 – Molly Malone’s – Los Angeles – ‘Fat Lot of Good’ CD Release Party – Tickets
November 5 – Molly Malone’s – Los Angeles
November 19 – Molly Malone’s – Los Angeles
December 3 – Molly Malone’s – Los Angeles

For more information, to request an interview, or for a review copy of “Nighttime” or ‘Fat Lot of Good’ contact:

Chip Schutzman
Miles High Productions
PO Box 93157
Hollywood, CA 90093
323-871-4821
chip@mileshighproductions.com
http://www.mileshighproductions.com

Angie and the Deserters Return with the Title-Track, “You” Off of their Upcoming EP!

Single Releases 9/16, EP Out 10/7!

Los Angeles, CA, September 13, 2016 - With their edgy style and entrancing vocals, Angie and the Deserters charmed listeners with their latest summer EP, titled Blood Like Wine. The band is ready to showcase to the world a continuum to their Nashville recordings which also produced their last record. The new title-track EP will be available on all digital stores on October 7, 2016. To give you a taste of the upcoming EP, the band will be releasing their first single, “You” on September 16, 2016 which will be followed by an accompanying music video, out later this month.

Already announcing a brand new single and EP “You,” Angie and the Deserters prove they are not going anywhere anytime soon. Produced by Jeff Huskins (Keith Urban, Carrie Underwood), the single is filled with soring pain as Angie Bruyere highlights a time of realization in a withering relationship. The recurring secrets, the hidden thoughts can no longer continue as she delivers, “got to move on without you.” Bruyere’s chilling vocals are followed by enticing violins that bring brightness to this awakening.

“You” was written while I was touring with the London Quireboys in England. I was on the tour bus driving though the English countryside, and wrote it one long night with Guy Griffin about what was going on back home in Los Angeles,” Angie recalls.

The band’s latest releases have received some honorable recognition. Angie and the Deserters most recent single “The Gift” debuted on Radio Indie Alliance’s charts at #1 the first week of its release. “The Gift” also reached # 4 on The Alternate Root’s Top Ten Songs of the Week.

In addition, the band’s “Country Radio” music video reached over 32K views on Facebook and YouTube! The band also received phenomenal reviews from The Daily Country, No Depression, The Alternate Root and more! “This is as good as it gets in the genre, a raw-throated and well played shot of hopped up rockabilly that defies you to stand still. It’s infused with an added intelligence that helps strengthen the band’s overall presentation” says, Gas House Radio. The band’s new single, “You” is expected to receive a considerable amount of attention as well.

For more information, please visit: www.AngieandTheDeserters.com

For all PR inquiries please contact: Chip Schutzman- Founder, Miles High Productions, Chip@mileshighproductions.com, 323-871-4821

Contact:
Chip Schutzman
Miles High Productions
PO Box 93157
Hollywood CA 90093
323-871-4821
http://www.mileshighproductions.com

National Steinbeck Center Announces Nea Big Read Activities

Monterey County to Read and Celebrate SUN, STONE, AND SHADOWS: TWENTY GREAT MEXICAN SHORT STORIES During the NEA Big Read with Several Activities

Salinas, CA, August 31, 2016 — The National Steinbeck Center was a recipient of a grant of $14,000 to host the NEA Big Read in Salinas. A program of the National Endowment for the Arts, the NEA Big Read broadens our understanding of our world, our communities, and ourselves through the joy of sharing a good book. The National Steinbeck Center was one of 77 nonprofit organizations to receive a grant to host an NEA Big Read project between September 2016 and June 2017.

The book selected by the NSC for the 2016 Big Read is Sun, Stone, and Shadows: Twenty Great Mexican Short Stories edited by Jorge Hernández González. Activities will take place beginning September 2016. Events will be held Salinas, Monterey, King City and other Monterey County locations.

NEA BIG READ 2016

Sponsored by the National Steinbeck Center and in partnership with

· The Western Stage

· Hartnell College

· Hijos del Sol

· Maya Cinemas

· Salinas Public Libraries

· Monterey Public Library

· Monterey County Free Libraries

· California State University, Monterey Bay

· Hartnell Library and Learning Resource Center

· Monterey County Office of Education

· “Voices of California,” Department of Linguistics, Stanford University

Free admission to all NEA Big Read events below

SEPTEMBER
_________________________________________________________________________
Sept. 6: NSC, 10-5pm
National Read a Book Day! Free NSC admission 10am-5pm! 10% off books in NSC bookstore! Pop-up discussion of “My Life with the Wave” at 12pm. Contest for copies of Sun, Stone, and Shadows.

Sept. 9-15: Maya Cinemas, Main St. Salinas
Hola Mexico Film Festival showcases great Mexican films. See schedule.

Sept. 10: The Western Stage, Mainstage Theater, Hartnell College, 7:30pm
Opening Night of Bandido. A brilliant retelling of the controversial life and death of Tiburcio Vásquez, a thief and hero. This play is a stunning biography, a thumping melodrama, a political epic and a musical satire by the contemporary theatre icon Luis Valdez.

Pop up exhibit by the National Steinbeck Center. From Sept. 16 through Nov. 1 bring a Bandido ticket to the National Steinbeck Center for free admission. Show a copy of Sun, Stone, and Shadows to The Western Stage Box Office for a half-price ticket to see Bandido.

Sept. 10: National Steinbeck Center, 5pm
Mariachi Festival and Tequilla tasting. See www.steinbeck.org for details.

Sept. 11: The Western Stage, Mainstage Theater, Hartnell College, 2-5pm.
Bandido Talk-Back Session with Director, Cast, and David Serena, Monterey Peninsula College Professor of Ethnic Studies and Political Science. Q&A with panel. Pop-up exhibit by the National Steinbeck Center.

Sept. 11: Alisal Street, Salinas, 11-5
El Grito Parade and Festival: Celebrate Mexican Independence Day. Stop by the NSC pop up exhibit for the chance to win a free copy of Sun, Stone and Shadows in Spanish or English.

Sept. 13: Hartnell College Library, 10-1pm
10th Anniversary Celebration: Celebrate the building’s birthday with cake and giveaways, including copies of Sun, Stone, and Shadows.

Sept. 14: National Steinbeck Center Bookstore, 6pm
Books and Bites: Come discuss stories in the first half of Sun, Stone, and Shadows. Book group led by Susan Shillinglaw, Director, NSC.

Sept. 16: National Steinbeck Center, 3-7:00pm
NEA BIG READ Kick-Off and Open House: Free admission all day! 3:00: Archives highlights from our Steinbeck-Mexico collection. Pop up exhibits by all BIG READ partners. 3:30: “Steinbeck’s Mexico,” Susan Shillinglaw, Director of the NSC. 4:30: The Western Stage premieres a dramatic adaptation of “My Life with the Wave.” 5:00: Music by CSUMB concert band, Sharp Nine. 5:30: “Voices of California,” Stanford University’s project on oral histories in Salinas. 6:00: Tacos served on the patio.

CSUMB Library launches its art contest: “Cover Art.” Submissions due by October 17. See
https://csumb.edu/library/big-read-2016

Sept. 17: Monterey Public Library, 1pm
Sun, Stone, and Shadows Discussion with Susan Shillinglaw

Sept. 19- Oct. 16: John Steinbeck Library
SET THE SCENE ART CONTEST for students aged 13-18 and adults 19 and up. All entries will be displayed at the John Steinbeck Library, and the public will vote on their favorite. A panel of local artists will also judge the entries. See contest rules and prizes on the Library's website.

Sept. 21: National Steinbeck Center, 5:30pm
Sweet Wednesday (with pan dulce): “What Can Literature Tell us about Ourselves?” Rafael Gomez, Professor of Mexican Literature and Spanish at California State University, Monterey Bay.

Sept. 24: Monterey Public Library, 1pm
“When We Were Mexico: A Frontier Province and Its Capital—Monterey,” Dennis Copeland, Monterey’s manager of museums, cultural arts, and archives.

Sept. 24: John Steinbeck Library, 10am-6pm
Stories on Saturday: The Fantastic Unreal. Programs throughout the day focusing on the first section of Sun, Stone, and Shadows. See Library's schedule.

Sept. 25: The Western Stage, Mainstage Theater, Hartnell College, 2-5pm
Bandido Talk-Back Session with with legendary playwright Luis Valdez and David Serena, MPC Professor of Ethnic Studies and Political Science. NSC Pop-up Big Read Display.

Sept. 27: CSUMB Student Center, 2pm
The Western Stage performance of “My Life with the Wave” followed by

Discussion of “Tell Them Not to Kill Me” with Donaldo Urioste, Professor of Spanish and
Chicano Literature

Sept. 28: Maya Cinemas, 153 Main St, Salinas, 7pm
BIG READ Steinbeck Film Series: Forgotten Village (1941) with introduction by Ruben Mendoza, CSUMB Professor of Mexican Archaeology. Q&A at closing with Susan Shillinglaw and Ruben Mendoza.

Sept. 29: National Steinbeck Center, 5:30pm
Sweet Thursday: “The Mexico We Left Behind” Claudia Melendez, author of A Fighting Chance and journalist at the Monterey Herald, leads a discussion of Sun, Stone, and Shadows.

OCTOBER

Oct. 1 & 2: National Steinbeck Center 11am to 5pm, both days.
Salinas Artists’ Open Studio “From Pen to Brush”: Artists ages 17-30 from Hijos del Sol will showcase artistic interpretations of the 20 stories of Sun, Stone, and Shadows. On Oct. 2 at 2pm, there will be a panel discussion with the artists.

Oct 1: Cesar Chavez Library, 10am-6pm
Stories on Saturdays: Scenes from Mexican Reality. Programs throughout the day focusing on second section of Sun, Stone, and Shadows. See Library's schedule.

The Western Stage performance of “My Life with the Wave” at 2:30pm

Oct. 5: Maya Cinemas, 153 Main St, Salinas, 7pm
BIG READ Steinbeck Film Series: Tortilla Flat (1942). Film intro. tba.

Oct. 6: National Steinbeck Center 5:30pm
Sweet Thursday: "A View of Mexican Culture by Exploring Human Behavior." Leslie Price, Professor of Psychology at MPC and Hartnell.

Oct. 6: Castroville Library, 6pm
The Western Stage performance of “My Life with the Wave”

Oct 8: John Steinbeck Library, 10am-6pm
Stories on Saturdays: The Tangible Past. Programs throughout the day focusing on the third section of Sun, Stone, and Shadows. See Library's schedule.

Oct 9: Alisal Street, Salinas, 10am-2pm
Ciclovia- Open street project where people enjoy art, music and activities with no motor vehicle traffic. NSC pop up exhibit and chance to win prizes, books, and more.

Oct. 12: National Steinbeck Center Bookstore, 6pm
Books and Bites: The second half of Sun, Stone, and Shadows. Discussion led by Susan Shillinglaw, Director, National Steinbeck Center.

Oct. 13: National Steinbeck Center, 6pm
Sweet Thursday: Reader’s Theater Extravaganza: Performance of “The Panther” by Everett Alvarez High School students, directed by Taylour Matz. Performance of “Permission Granted” by Alisal High School students, directed by Veronica Pulido. Coordinated by Mike Roddy..The Western Stage performance of “My Life with the Wave.” Discussion to follow.

Oct 15: Cesar Chavez Library, 10am-6pm
Stories on Saturdays: The Unexpected in Everyday, Urban Life. Programs throughout the day focusing on the fourth section of Sun, Stone, and Shadows. See Library's schedule.

Oct. 15: King City Library, 12pm
The Western Stage performance of “My Life with the Wave”

Oct. 19: Hartnell Student Center, 12:30pm
The Western Stage performance of “My Life with the Wave”

Oct. 19: Maya Cinemas, 153 Main St., Salinas, 7pm
BIG READ Steinbeck Film Series: Viva Zapata! (1952) Intro by Donaldo Urioste, CSUMB.

Oct. 20: National Steinbeck Center 5:30pm
Sweet Thursday: “Mexico in the Modern Imagination,” Ruben Mendoza, CSUMB Professor of Mexican Archaeology.
_______________________________________________________________________
Oct. 21: National Steinbeck Center, 12-2pm
Archives Q&A with highlights from our Steinbeck-Mexico collection.

Oct 22: John Steinbeck Library, 10am-6pm
Stories on Saturdays: Intimate Imagination. Programs throughout the day focusing on the final section of Sun, Stone, and Shadows. See Library's schedule.

Oct. 23: Artesanias, Fiestas & Cultura, 27 4th St., Gonzales, 1pm
“El Mexico que Dejamos”: Discussion of Sun, Stone, and Shadows in Spanish, led by Claudia Melendez.

Oct. 26: Maya Cinemas, 153 Main St, Salinas, 7pm
BIG READ Steinbeck Film Series: The Pearl (1947). “Legend and Ecological History” by William Gilly, Professor of Biology at Stanford University.

Oct. 27: National Steinbeck Center 5:30pm
Sweet Thursday: “The Bull in Commerce and Culture,” Bruce Elliott, former Senior
Biologist for the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Oct. 28: National Steinbeck Center, 10am-5pm
Día de los Muertos Exhibit opens: Curated by Jose Ortiz, founder of Hijos del Sol, the exhibit touches on themes and images of the holiday.

NOVEMBER

Nov. 1: National Steinbeck Center
Día de los Muertos and Closing Party. The NSC and our local partners invite you to
join us for our final event and street parade celebrating NEA BIG READ.

All local events will be posted on the NSC website, www.steinbeck.org.

For more information about the NEA Big Read, please visit neabigread.org. For more information about programs contact Lisa Josephs at archives@steinbeck.org or visit the NSC website, www.steinbeck.org.

The National Steinbeck Center opened in 1998 as the only museum in the world solely dedicated to the life, works, and legacy of John Steinbeck. Located in Salinas, California the National Steinbeck Center is situated in the heart of Steinbeck Country and the sites and sounds immortalized in dozens of Steinbeck's novels.

Established by Congress in 1965, the National Endowment for the Arts is the independent federal agency whose funding and support gives Americans the opportunity to participate in the arts, exercise their imaginations, and develop their creative capacities. Through partnerships with state arts agencies, local leaders, other federal agencies, and the philanthropic sector, the NEA supports arts learning, affirms and celebrates America’s rich and diverse cultural heritage, and extends its work to promote equal access to the arts in every community across America. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the National Endowment for the Arts and the agency is celebrating this milestone with events and activities through September 2016. Go to arts.gov/50th to enjoy art stories from around the nation, peruse Facts & Figures, and check out the anniversary timeline.

Contact:
Marci Bracco Cain
Chatterbox PR
Salinas, CA 93901
(831) 747-7455
http://www.steinbeck.org

Why JockMenLive.com, the “Facebook” for Muscle, registers a monthly Growth of +108 Percent

When Social Media Meets Live Cam - the next generation of Gay Adult Entertainment

The Netherlands, August 25, 2016 - How to bring innovation in the adult industry? A totally unique LiveCam – Social Media – Hookup / Dating and forum platform is registering an overwhelming success. It’s the next generation in Adut Entertainment, Social Media meeting Live Cam.

JockMenLive, the online community for bodybuilders, male athletes, jocks and their admirers, decided to offer community-driven environment to their free members where… they get paid to post! They can spend their JockBucks on a cam show with one of the over 250 models ready to flex their muscles in (and out) their posing trunks, custom made muscle pics & videos, tips and bodybuilding sponsorships.

In addition to this, members have their own profiles, can interact over Skype, communicate via news-feeds, or even broadcast their own shows for fun and profit. Coming next will be new dating and Hook-up Tools, allowing members and models to find Mr. Right, Mr. Right Now, or even arrange Live Muscle Worship sessions with some of the top names in the muscle world.

“From the inception of JockMenLive, we wanted to create a new kind of user experience”, says JML lead, Shaun L, “Cam sites are ubiquitous, and sex is easy to come by online. What our members kept telling us is that they were looking for something more. The wanted 'relationship' , and to be part of something.. We surveyed them, asking them for specific suggestions, then we delivered. That’s how our platform became the next generation in Gay Adult Entertainment: a totally unique Live Cam – Social Media – Hookup / Dating and forum platform.”

All started with a much-requested old-fashioned forum, where members could exchange pics, interact with models and with each other, and exchange information. According to Shaun L, “We were a little terrified, as there is little worse than an empty, inactive forum - but our members got busy making that space their own. That feature has been an overwhelming success.”

The other most frequently requested feature was the ability to use Skype. “Skype has always been the enemy of normal cam sites. Models can easily be tempted off-site, and the losses can be staggering to a small company such as ours. But, we decided to listen to what our members were saying: Skype still provides the most intimate cam-to-cam, voice to voice experience, and our members really want intimacy.”

“The internet is an amazing tool”, Shaun L continues, “but research has shown that it can also lead to social isolation. We want to use this media to allow people to come together. Our members were clear - they want our platform to increase their connectedness to other human beings. It's our goal to provide a fully realized Social Cam site for this Market, and then expand to new niche's over time. Once we make JockMenLive.com the Facebook of Muscle, we can do the same for any other fan group. We'll never be the Walmart of the Cam world, nor do we wish to be. We'd much rather be known for great concierge level service, unique products, and for really listening to our valued members.”

The idea to create a concierge service for their members proved to be successful, JockMenLive has been growing at an average rate of +108% per month. “Plus, our members are very loyal because they are treated as a community, not as consumers.”

JockMenLive.com is now bringing fans of the masculine male, everything they asked for - Live Cam with some of the most famous faces in the adult and bodybuilding world, forums, videos, facebook style profiles where members can upload photos, videos, interact using news-feeds, and leave reviews of any models anywhere.

To learn more about JockMenLive.com or to request more pictures, please contact press@jockmenlive.com

Contact:
Shaun L
Better Cam Company B.V.
Dokweg 27/B
1976 CA, IJmuiden,
The Netherlands
415-462-5913
press@jockmenlive.com
http://jockmenlive.com

Humboldt Legends First Cannabis Company to Participate with Sale in County of Humboldt's Pilot Program to ‘Track and Trace’ Origins of Cannabis Grown in County

With the state of California on the verge of approving the recreational use of marijuana in November, at least one company is ahead of the curve when it comes to transparency

Humboldt County, CA, August 24, 2016 — With the state of California on the verge of approving the recreational use of marijuana in November, at least one company is ahead of the curve when it comes to transparency, consumer confidence and environmental responsibility.

Humboldt Legends brings together a group of heritage cannabis farmers with some of the highest environmental standards in the industry. One of its farmers participated in the first transaction in the pilot program for the County of Humboldt to track the movement of marijuana through each step of the supply chain, from grower to distributor to consumer. The purchaser was KIVA Confections, a medical cannabis company that focuses on gourmet chocolate confections.

Called “track and trace,” the county utilizes the services of Switzerland-based security company SICPA Security LLC, which can track the origins of every batch of marijuana sold in the county using QR code stamps, much like they currently do for cigarettes.

After a cultivator harvests and packages their cannabis crop, they put the traceable, counterfeit-resistant stamp on the product. The QR code, which can be scanned by a smart phone, includes information about the product, including the name of the strain (“Steelhead Sativa,” for example), the date it was harvested, who grew it (name of cultivator and farm), strain type, and THC and CBD (primary ingredients in marijuana) yields.

This allows not only the government to track the origins of the product, but also distributors and especially consumers to do the same, so they know exactly what they're buying is from Humboldt County, that it is legal, who it was grown by and the strength of the strain of cannabis.

“It's an incredibly exciting moment, for me personally and from an industry standpoint,” said one of Humboldt Legends' farmers and co-founder, Scott Davies, who has been a grower for 20 years. “Humboldt County is the first county in the state to adopt this under the MMRSA (Medical Marijuana Safety and Regulations Act) guidelines. It's been a long time coming, but this way we are able to tell our story, begin to add taxes to local and state coffers and get rid of the kinds of products that are bad for the environment. I've worked all my life for this moment.”

Humboldt Legends, A California Benefit Corporation, was founded in 2015 by Davies, owner of Winterbourne Farms, together with other Humboldt County farmers, industry professionals, and community leaders. Its mission statement is simple yet profound: “Give the plant back to the people, grow for good, and use business to inspire environmental responsibility.”

Davies said the mission of Humboldt Legends is to apply the same level of confidence and concern consumers have for “the lettuce they purchase” to cannabis.

“If consumers care about the wine they buy and the food they eat, they should also care about the cannabis they use, it's the most logical thing in the world,” said Davies, who likened cannabis track and trace to how wine and cigarettes are also labeled and tracked. “Track and trace increases consumer confidence, absolutely.”

Humboldt County's “Humboldt Cannabis Pilot Program,” the first of its kind in the state, started Aug. 1 and concludes in November. The county's pilot program will be fully compliant with the so-called Adult Use Act — California Marijuana Legalization Initiative, Proposition 64 — should it pass in November.

“A local track and trace program is critical to demonstrate that the county’s medical cannabis regulatory program incorporates enforcement principles important to local and federal law enforcement, including preventing distribution of cannabis to minors, preventing the diversion of cannabis to other states, preventing cannabis revenue from supporting criminal enterprises and preventing the growing of cannabis on public lands,” said Humboldt County Agricultural Commissioner Jeff Dolf.

For Davies, this collaborative effort between Humboldt County, SICPA (which worked with the county on a pro-bono basis to develop the program), and the cannabis industry, which includes cultivators, distributors and dispensaries, is truly historic.

“There's a huge emotional impact in Humboldt County and we celebrate this partnership with local government in this endeavor,” he said. “Overall, it's a win-win for everybody.”

Davies added that the program also helps to retain the branding and reputation of Humboldt County as producing some of the best, if not the best, cannabis in the country. What Napa County is to wine, Humboldt County is to cannabis, he said.

About Humboldt Legends
Humboldt Legends, A California Benefit Corporation, was founded in 2015 by a group of heritage cannabis farmers who have decades of experience growing marijuana by innovative and sustainable methods, together with other Humboldt County industry professionals and community leaders. Humboldt Legend’s farmers respect the land as well as your health, so they don't use any non-organic chemicals or watershed-damaging methods in their 100% sun-powered fields. Humboldt County's unique terroir serves as a foundation for Humboldt Legends farmers to grow and produce the highest quality cannabis. Humboldt Legends will be launching with the 2016 Fall Harvest.

About SICPA
Switzerland-based SICPA Product Security, LLC, performs track and trace services in about 160 countries, tracks 109 forms of currency, tracks over 77 billion products per year including soda, beer and tobacco and has contracted with the California Board of Equalization since 2005 to track all cigarette sales in the state.

About KIVA Confections
KIVA Confections provides consistently potent, great-tasting, gourmet chocolate confections that set a whole new standard for edible medical cannabis. Founded in 2010 by Scott Palmer and Kristi Knoblich, KIVA Confections™ is a California-based not-for-profit collective. KIVA makes high quality medical edibles for patients, crafted from all natural ingredients and skillfully combined with cannabis. Each batch is lab-tested to ensure consistent THC potency. The company currently offers more than a dozen varieties of chocolate edibles and is one of the most recognized medical cannabis companies in California.

Resources:
humboldtlegends.com
humboldtgov.org/TrackAndTrace
humboldtorigin.org
kivaconfections.com

Contact:
Marci Bracco Cain
Chatterbox PR
Salinas, CA 93901
(831) 747-7455
http://www.humboldtlegends.com