BCA Dinner

The Black Culinary Alliance is a very special organization that works to recruit, train, and place more people of color in the food industry.



I recently attended their annual fund raising dinner which featured fantastic food cooked by students in the program.



Founder Alex Askew (far right) is an amazing guy, who almost single-handedly runs the entire organization.



During my remarks on stage I quoted the Buddha

“Thousands of candles can be lit from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared."

Alex is the living embodiment of this.

South Beach Wine and Food 2011

I've fortunate enough to attend the South Beach Wine and Food Festival every February since 2006.

The 2011 edition featured all the great food and drink


from celebrity chefs like Bobby Flay.


But this year was extra special since it was the first festival for the Cooking Channel brand



and it's new star chefs like Leanne Wong from Unique Eats

Week in Vegas

This past week I was in Las Vegas



for 2011 edition of the Consumer Electronics Show.



The big themes were:

1) 3D television, especially some new sets that do not require glasses.



The 3D effect on the glasses-free sets isn't as dramatic as it is on the sets with glasses, but it's pretty noticeable compared to today's typical 2D sets.

I think in a few years glasses-free 3D will become mainstream choice, while 3D with glasses will be for the higher end videophile.

2) Internet connected TVs.



Within a few years there will be little difference between the flat screens on your wall, the tablet screens in your hand, and the smartphone screens in your pocket. All three screen platforms will let you watch tv, surf the web, make video calls, and send e-mails.

3) Table computers, over 70 iPad killers were on display including one from Toshiba that runs full Windows 7 and does everything you regular desktop or laptop computer does.



I was a panelist on a discussion of how to generate revenue from all the media platforms.



In my view, in the end there will be one single media platform, just available on wide variety of different screen sizes to fit when and where the consumer wants to engage with their media.

NFL Day

Tony Wyllie, head of PR for the Washington Redskins invited me to today's Redskins Giants game.



I've been a Redskins fan for over 30 years,



so it was a real treat to be at the game,



even if it was another Redskins loss.

Party Week

Been pretty busy the past seven days with parties in three cities in two countries.

First up was



Food Network Canada's 10th Anniversary Party in Toronto, Canada.



I was joined by David and Nina Rocco from La Dolce Vita, Nadia G. from Bitchin' Kitchen, and Laura Calder from French Food at Home.

Two days later



I was in New Orleans with all it's Bourbon Street excitement




for Emeril Lagasse's annual fundraiser. Emeril, wife Alden, and kids were there.



Along with authentic Creole entertainers

Then back to New York



for the event celebrating Barney's holiday store window display featuring Food Network stars Ina Garten and Sandra Lee

Paula Deen was there



The crowd went wild for Bobby Flay, Paula Deen, and Emeril



Finally the National Urban League fund-raising dinner



featuring NY mayor Michael Bloomberg



The Rev. Al Sharpton



and British pop star Corinne Bailey Rae.

I'm really worn out and looking forward to taking Thanksgiving week off.

Wine and Food in New York

Almost forgot to post, but week before last was the New York Wine and Food Festival.



Cooking Channel had its coming out party with plenty of exposure during the weekend's events.




Entourage star Debi Mazar and her husband Gabrieli Corcos joined me at an event.



And during the closing party



I spent some nice bonding time with Pat Neely of Down Home with the Neely'sand Nadia Goisa from Bitchin' Kitchen.



It was a busy weekend, but so much fun, thanks to all the great Food Network and Cooking Channel stars.

Hawaiian Holiday

I haven't taken a resort vacation since 2000, so to celebrate my wife Marchette's birthday, we went to Waikiki Beach this week.

We had lovely room at the Moana Surfrider Hotel overlooking the ocean



We hit the typical spots,



the beaches



the Aquarium




the Zoo



Pearl Harbor


Plus the stores


on Kalakaua Street.

My only regret was not staying fro two weeks instead of one.

I picked up a cute trinket that reminded me of my beloved dog Mindy.


I picked up a cute trinket that reminded me of my beloved dog Mindy.


The real Mindy seemed to like it too.











.