Boyz II Men, Jeffrey Osborne and Kenny G Take the Stage at 22nd Epcot International Food & Wine Festival

With an expanded lineup of popular performers and a team of A-list celebrity chefs creating new dishes, the 22nd Epcot International Food & Wine Festival brings the best of the best to celebrate 35 years of Epcot at Walt Disney World Resort.

The annual Disney tour of tastes is expanding in 2017 for a longer-than-ever 75-day run, from August 31-November 13. Growing in scope as one of America’s top food festivals each year since 1996, the Epcot event will run for 13 additional days of inspired sips and bites throughout the park’s World Showcase and Future World areas. Guests will have a chance to mix and mingle with celebrity chefs, experience hands-on culinary workshops and demonstrations at the Festival Center, and get their gourmet groove on at nightly Eat to the Beat concerts.

Celebrity Chefs

A-listers of the culinary world bring their talent to Walt Disney World once more to delight guests and inspire palates. Catch your favorite mealtime maestros in action at exclusive events, such as Party for the Senses, and special culinary demonstrations. Some of the celebrity Chefs participants include:

  • Erika Cline (Oct. 5 and Oct. 7) – Creator of her own chocolate boutique, Bleu Chocolat, in the Virgin Islands. The bean-to-bar chocolate boutique that showcases cocoas of many different origins.
  • Huda Mu’min (Oct. 6 and Oct. 7) – Record setting winner of Food Network’s Cut Throat Kitchen, host of The Kitchen Table and fan favorite on ABC’s The Taste.
  • Dana Herbert (Oct. 07 and Oct. 9) – The winner of TLC’s “Cake Boss: The Next Great Baker” is an expert sugar artist best known as “The Sugar Daddy” because of his work with pulled and blown sugar.
  • Jennifer Hill-Booker (Oct. 13 and Oct. 14) – Her cooking style is a modern reinvention of Southern cuisine that incorporates seasonal ingredients with French culinary techniques she learned at Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Paris.
  • Carla Hall (Nov. 3) – Co-Host of the popular ABC TV show “The Chew” and competitor on Top Chef and Top Chef: All Stars.
  • Kenny Gilbert (Nov. 10 and Nov. 11) – Top Chef Season 7 contestant and owner of Gilbert’s Underground Kitchen in Fernandina Beach, FL, Gilbert’s Social in Jacksonville, Fla. as well as his own spice blend line.

In addition to her appearance in November, celebrity chef Carla Hall will join her fellow co-hosts of ABC TV’s Emmy Award-winning lifestyle series “The Chew” at the Epcot International Food and Wine Festival.  For the third consecutive year the series will tape five shows on the Epcot stage on October 4-6. The shows will air October 9-13, 2017, at 1 p.m. ET12 p.m. PDT on the ABC Television Network.

Eat to the Beat Concert Series

Eleven new-to-the-festival bands, including Kenny G. and Baha Men will join 21 fan-favorite musical acts for a diverse lineup of artists set to rock America Gardens Theatre stage throughout the festival’s 75-day run.

Each night during the Festival, the stage lights up with some of the industry’s top recording artists including:

  • Baha Men – The band that revived the deep musical legacy of the Bahamas and achieved world fame with the hit song “Who Let the Dogs Out” will perform Sept. 4-5.
  • Kenny G – One of the biggest-selling musicians of the modern era, this master of the soprano sax will perform October 23-24.
  • Jeffrey Osborne – Known for his song “On the Wings of Love,” he will be performing on Oct. 14-15.
  • Billy Ocean – The international pop and R&B star of the ‘70s and ‘80s, who rose to fame with hits such as “Caribbean Queen” and “Get Outta My Dreams, Get into My Car” will perform on Oct. 25-26.
  • Living Colour – Known for their song “Cult of Personality,” and with a new album coming out this fall, this popular band will perform some of their top hits on Nov. 4-5.
  • Boyz II Men – Recognized as one of the most successful musical groups of the ‘90s by Billboard magazine, this top-ranking band will bring its famous a capella harmonies to the stage on Nov. 6-8.

Happenings at The Festival Center

At The Festival Center, guests can stop start off their culinary adventure and get helpful information, including a park map, Times Guide and Festival Passports (also available at select Epcot locations).

The Festival Center is also home to:

  • Festival Center Wine Shop: Choose from an incredible selection of wines and spirits from prestigious makers featured throughout the Festival.
  • Intermissions Café: Recharge and relax with mouthwatering menu options perfect for day or night noshing.
  • Back to Basics Series: Discover delish tips and tricks from the industry’s top culinary pros! These helpful hints will have a profound effect on your next meal.
  • Book Signings and Meet & Greets: Meet celebrated authors and other food-and-wine-industry personalities.
  • Bottle Signings: Rub elbows with some of the world’s top beverage experts!
  • Seasons of the Vine: Get a behind-the-vines look at the process that transforms delicate grapes into the “nectar of the gods”—step by nectarous step.
  • The Chocolate Experience: From Bean to the Bar – Hosted by Ghirardelli® Chocolate Company: Marvel at chocolate sculptures created by our own Walt Disney World Resort pastry chefs, and explore the journey chocolate must take to get from the bean to the bar.

 

Included with Epcot Admission

Back to Basics series, special book signings, Eat to the Beat concerts, cultural adventures, Festival Passport and all attractions and park entertainment are included with regular Epcot admission.

Special Programming by Reservation

The Party for the Senses grand tasting events, signature dinners and other special wine and culinary programs require reservations and separate event admission. Guests can call 407/WDW-FEST (939-3378) and get details at www.EpcotFoodFestival.com

Ereka Vetrini Shares Back-To-School Survival Guide

On Tuesday, August 9, Ereka Vetrini, the host of TLC’s Sunday Brunch shared her back-to-school survival guide for all things classroom 101.

She’ll offer insights on everything from finding the perfect lunch snack to capturing memories to staying clean. With this variety of great tips, you may find that your kids could even want to go back to the classroom.

 

This segment is provided by The Laughing Cow, V Tech, Kandoo & Boogie Wipes and Target.

 

About Ereka Vetrini:

Ereka Vetrini is a TV Host, Lifestyle Expert, Brand Spokesperson, Producer, Blogger and proud mom of two! Tune-in to TLC Sunday Brunch on Sunday mornings as Ereka brings you the very best brunch & cocktail recipes, styling tips and so much more! Ereka is also the host of Lifetime’s Access Health where her and her team bring you the latest cutting-edge developments and innovations in medicine, nutrition and fitness, so women everywhere can take charge of their health, starting today! As the TV spokesperson for AllRecipes magazine, you can catch her in the kitchen at The Today Show, Meredith Vieira Show and The Better Show where she cooks up recipes created by home cooks from across the country.Ereka was the host of Easy Does It on Yahoo! where she interviewed authors, experts and celebrities to uncover everything you need to know about how to simplify family life. As a mother of two, Ereka enjoys spending every spare minute running after her 1st grader and preschooler. Check out her blog BeYOUtifulmoms.com to see how she balances it all and deals with her daily dose of mom guilt.

Birmingham Fashion Week 2016 | Event Recap

Birmingham Fashion Week debuted it’s 6th annual runway show on August 25 – 27, 2016 at The Boutwell Auditorium.  Guests in attendance for the event were tastemakers, designers, retailers, and media outlets.

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More Photos on Instagram @kwest1908

DSC_0115Style + Life + Fashion was present on Friday, August 26, 2016 serving as a media outlet for the production.  Guests were greeted by Tara Gray (TV Host and Producer) while welcoming participants to this fashionable event.

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BENJAMIN JAY was the opening designer on August 26, 2016 along with RAILS, BRADFORD BILLINGSLEY and featured designer CHARLES ELLIS SARTORIAL.  

Runway retailers for the show included Gus Mayer and ALCHEMY 213.  In addition, 8 emerging designers and  30 rising design stars were present on this particular night.

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Birmingham Fashion Week 2016 was a great event for fashion enthusiasts. The production showcased genuine talent and artistic value of local Birmingham residents.

Featured designers displayed professional work and runway models exemplified the individual style of each collection.

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Designs from High School Students

With vendor support, upbeat music, and unique designs, Birmingham Fashion Week will continue to be a runway show that’s anticipated (here) in The Magic City!

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BIRMINGHAM FASHION WEEK 2016 | Madeline Stuart

Birmingham Fashion Week (BFW) welcomes Madeline Stuart, the first globally recognized model with Down syndrome to open the runway shows on Thursday, August 25 at Boutwell Auditorium. The 19-year-old model from Brisbane, Australia says “Down syndrome is a blessing, something to be celebrated,” and has made it her mission is redefine the true meaning of beauty.

Heidi Elnora, TLC’s “Bride by Design” star, Birmingham, AL based bridal designer and founder of Birmingham Fashion Week has created a custom skirt for Madeline to wear during her BFW runway debut. The couture, high-low skirt has been designed exclusively for Madeline using custom patterns with a light pink, duchess satin from Italy featuring a light pink ruffle lining detail.
“I am so honored to have the opportunity to design a custom piece for the inspiring and sweet Madeline,” states Heidi Elnora, founder of Birmingham Fashion Week. “She is a true pioneer in the fashion industry and we are overjoyed to show her the love and support the City of Birmingham has for her as she continues her career in the modeling industry.”

The fresh-faced, flame-haired beauty has previously modeled in New York Fashion Week twice and been featured in leading publications such as Vogue, Cosmopolitan, Paper, Women’s Day, Elle, Marie Claire, and People, to name a few. Madeline possesses confidence and is an incredible modern-day, relevant role model in today’s fast changing society.

Birmingham Fashion Week is August 25 – 27, 2016 at Boutwell Auditorium in Birmingham, AL. Sponsors for BFW include: Alabama Power, Savannah College of Art and Design, The University of Alabama, Mercedes Benz of Birmingham, Schaeffer Eye Center and The City of Birmingham. Showcasing nationally recognized designers, emerging designers, retailers and models. For more information on Birmingham Fashion Week, ticket sales, a complete schedule of events, and participating designers and partners, please visit www.bhamfashionweek.com.

About Madeline Stuart:
Madeline has been featured in over 10,000 articles and news stories across the globe and over 500,000 mentions on Google and currently referred to as the world’s first Supermodel with Down syndrome by media outlets around the world. Additionally, she has been awarded the prestigious 2015 Model of the Year Award at international fashion show Mélange in San Francisco, whose partners include Jean Paul Gautier, Sephora and Nicole Miller. On her current trip to America, Madeline received the KultureCity Advocacy Award for her advocacy work in Uganda for people living with disability.

In 2016, Madeline headlined the Caspian Fashion Week in Russia; made her stage debut in London as part of the Culture Device Dance Project; went to Uganda to advocate for people living with Disabilities with Kulture City; she then went on to be the celebrity guest on the 3rd Mission Possible Cruise for Developmental Disability through Canada and Alaska. Currently Madeline is working in America at a series of events and television appearances. Recently finishing modelling in Boston, Ohio, San Francisco and New York. Madeline’s friendly, warm and thoughtful nature makes her immediately relatable. She has over 617,0000 Facebook users and over 142,000 Instagram followers: Facebook.com/madelinesmodelling | @madelinesmodelling_

About Birmingham Fashion Week:

Birmingham Fashion Week was founded on the ideals of bringing unity to the community through fashion. Two childhood best friends, Heidi Elnora (an internationally known fashion designer) and Jeana Lee Thompson (a successful retail business owner and fashionista) created Birmingham Fashion Week (BFW) in April 2011. After 6 years of hard work BFW has proven to be one of the TOP southeastern fashion events. BFW is recognized by local, regional, and national press for bringing in acclaimed designers like Tibi , Show Me Your MuMu, W3 Bespoke, Rebecca Taylor, What Goes Around Comes Around, Project Runway all -stars, and many many more. Not only has BFW hosted a handful of top designers they also support local boutiques, local designers, and the up -and-coming fashion designers in our community. Each year Birmingham Fashion Week showcases the talents of our local make-up artists and hair salons, photographers, models, and artists. BFW has now become the hub for fashion, encouraging locals and visitors alike to explore the creative talents of Birmingham, Alabama. For more details and a full schedule of events, please visit www.bhamfashionweek.com.

Global Beauty Masters Finale Clips | TLC

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Global Beauty Masters” that airs on Monday, April 25th on TLC at 11am EST/PST, and will also be airing on Thursday, April 21st on Discovery Life at 6pm EST/PST and on Tuesday, April 26th on Discovery Life at 11am EST/PST.

In case you’re unfamiliar, “Global Beauty Masters” is the world’s most challenging beauty competition that brings together professionals from the United States and other countries (Bermuda, Canada, Italy, Mexico, Panama, Senegal and South Africa) to demonstrate their jaw-dropping skills and creativity in hair, makeup, nails and styling. 

The finale of the show, titled “Global Masters of Beauty,” features the pro and student teams racing to finish their models based on the theme “Phoenix Rising.” A team of judges, led by co-founder and chairman of the board of John Paul Mitchell Systems, John Paul DeJoria, crowns the surprised winners of this year’s “Global Beauty Masters.”

See the clip below:

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Ereka Vetrini from TLC Creates Agua Fresca Beverage

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Have you heard of agua fresca? It’s a drink traditionally sold by street vendors throughout Central America, Mexico, and the Caribbean. This beverage—which is perfect for cooling down on warm days—has recently grown in popularity throughout the U.S. thanks to its refreshing quality.

Today, The Host of TLC’s Sunday Brunch, Ereka Vetrini will introduce you to the refreshing world of agua fresca, and share a few of her thirst-quenching recipes to get your readers prepped for spring and summer.

The recipes Ereka demonstrates will feature the recently released Agua Fresca line from Santa Cruz Organic®. As a pioneer organic brand, Santa Cruz Organic offers a variety of organic, 100 percent juices that you can feel good about drinking.

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Ereka will also share additional tips with our site very soon!

About Ereka Vetrini:

Ereka Vetrini is a TV Host, Lifestyle Expert, Brand Spokesperson, Producer, Blogger and proud mom of two! Tune-in to TLC Sunday Brunch on Sunday mornings as Ereka brings you the very best brunch & cocktail recipes, styling tips and so much more! Ereka is also the host of Lifetime’s Access Health where her and her team bring you the latest cutting-edge developments and innovations in medicine, nutrition and fitness, so women everywhere can take charge of their health, starting today! As the TV spokesperson for AllRecipes magazine, you can catch her in the kitchen at The Today Show, Meredith Vieira Showand The Better Show where she cooks up recipes created by home cooks from across the country. Ereka was the host of Easy Does It on Yahoo! where she interviewed authors, experts and celebrities to uncover everything you need to know about how to simplify family life. As a mother of two, Ereka enjoys spending every spare minute running after her 1st grader and preschooler. Check out her blog BeYOUtifulmoms.com to see how she balances it all and deals with her daily dose of mom guilt.