The Animals First Foundation is holding another Charity Wine Tasting Event at Burien’s Vino Bello this Friday, Feb. 19th from 6:30pm to 9:30pm to help raise money to care for rescued animals.

For a $20 donation, you’ll receive two drinks and snacks, along with live music and a silent auction on one-of-a-kind paintings.

Here are the details:

WHAT: Charity Wine Tasting Event for Animals First Foundation

WHEN: Friday, Feb. 19th, from 630pm—9:30pm

WHERE: Vino Bello, located at 636 SW 152nd Street in downtown Burien

INFO: From their poster:

Something For All Your Senses

Join Animals First Foundation at Vino Bello in Burien: Friday, Feb. 19th from 6:30pm – 9:30pm.

• Touch – An Animal’s Life
• Smell – Partylite Candles
• Hear – Woodrush
• See – Original Artwork
• Taste – Divine Wine

Your $20 donation includes two drinks, snacks and live music. From 6:30-9:30pm bid on one of a kind paintings.

Come by and check out some of the items from PartyLite Gifts Fundraising Program; AFF will receive 50% of the profits (items will be shipped to AFF).

Enjoy the fabulous music of Woodrish from 8pm-9:30pm.

All proceeds will go to Animals First Foundation to help with the cost of giving a rescued animal the best of care and preparation on its road to a better life.

Want to buy your ticket early and guarantee a space? Call 206-331-7440 or visit our website at www.animalsfirstfoundation.org and click the donate button to make your $20 donation!

Must be 21.

Animals First Foundation is a non-profit organization based in Seattle dedicated to supporting and promoting the preservation and well being of animals, both domestic and wild.

BTB Advertiser Vino Bello is holding a special Book Signing & Wine Tasting on Friday, Sept. 11th from 5:30pm to 8:30pm with Author Neil Low, who will be signing his new book “Sign of the Dragon.”

Neil Low is a captain with the Seattle Police Department and the agency’s first commander of its new Ethics and Professional Responsibility Section. Other areas he has commanded include: Homicide and Violent Crimes, Internal Affairs, and Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault. He is a Vietnam veteran and a cum laude graduate of the University of Washington’s Bothell campus, where he also wrote for the school’s weekly newspaper, The UW Bothell Commons. A Seattle native, he now lives in Everett with his wife and three daughters.

Here’s a synopsis of “Sign of the Dragon”:

1940 – The eve of WWII. Imperial Japan threatens to conquer Asia and the entire Pacific Theatre. Supplies and support are flowing into the region. Vital to this effort is the city of Seattle. But now, its crucial role in the supply chain is beginning to attract the interest of some shadowy and exotic international forces… Following a tip from his mentor Vic Morrison, young Alan Stewart uses his detective skills to track down Tiger Lee, a sexy American operative on a mission to disrupt the Japanese spy network. Working together, the two set out to eliminate the head of their Japanese rivals: a dangerous samurai whose movements are shrouded in mystery. What begins as a hunt for justice quickly turns into a maelstrom of revenge—and a race against the clock as politics becomes personal and loyalties are tested from every side. Returning to the scene of his first novel, Thick as Thieves, author Neil Low, proves once again that in the shadowy underbelly of a city nothing is as it first appears, and what you don’t know just might hurt you after all….

Here’s a review:

“Here’s the first thing I can tell you about Neil Low’s new novel: There are strong women herein. If you don’t like strong women or stories about them, find another book. The mood of this tale reminds me of the foggy, black and white crime movies of the period before World War II, and that’s not accidental. It’s clear that the author has extensively researched the Seattle of that era and makes that time real to his readers with deft, subtle touches. This story may humor you, and it’s likely to get your juices flowing. But perhaps most importantly, it’s going to make you think, because it has more twists and turns than the catacombs under Chinatown, which Low describes so vividly. And here is something else I can tell you: You will have to wonder if Low’s catacombs are real or if they are stuff of legend and myth. “Ay, there’s the rub,” as someone else who knew a thing or two about telling a good story once wrote.” –Lowen Clausen Author of The River, and First Avenue.

For more information on Neil Low, check out his website here.

Vino Bello is located at 636 SW 152nd St – F in Burien; (206) 244-VINO. For more information, check out their website here.

We’d like to part the curtains and reveal our latest Advertiser: Breeders Theater’s “The Last Magician,” a musical comedy that starts this Friday, July 10th at E.B. Foote Winery (at a bargain price of just $20, which includes the play, wine tasting and hors d’oeuvres).

This will be the company’s 16th production at the winery, following on the heels of its critically acclaimed winter show, “Prairie Heart.”

“Prairie Heart was reality, and this is fantasy,” says local playwright T.M. Sell. “It’s a parable, and it will be interesting to see what people take away from it.

“It’s an idea I’ve had for a long time, but I couldn’t write it until I really knew what it was about,” Sell says. “I hope it works in multiple levels.”

The show is directed and choreographed by Teresa Widner, with music by Nancy Warren and costumes by Melissa Sell.

The cast features:

• Adrienne Grieco
• Eric Hartley
• J Howard Boyd
• Steve Scheide
• Nathan Hicks
• Laura Smith
• Brenan Grant
• Doug Knoop
• Kelly Johnson
• Michael Brunk
• Pamela Mohn

Show dates at E.B. Foote Winery are:

• July 10, 11, 15, 17, 18, 19, 22, 23, 24, 24, 26

Doors open at 6:30pm and the show starts at 7pm. Sunday shows start at 2pm and the doors open at 1:30pm.

Performances will be at E.B. Foote Winery, which is located at 127-B SW 153rd Street in downtown Burien. The show includes tasting of E.B. Foote’s award-winning wines and hors d’oeuvres, still for only $20.

Tickets are available at the winery, 206-242-3852 and at Corky Cellars, 22511 Marine View Drive, Des Moines 206-824-9462.

FEATURED PERFORMER:
J Howard Boyd

J Howard Boyd has been with Breeders Theater almost from the very start — in a staged reading of Malpygion/Piglet at Highline College in 2000.

Since then, he has appeared in Waiting for Merlot; Murder in the Newsroom; Piglet; Arctic Jack Klondike; both episodes of Justin Time, Space Commander; Love’s Painful Itch; Truffles Chantrelle and the Curse of the Singing Mummy; Viva Zavada!; Soap Bubble; Grape Expectations; Out of the Nest; Crazy/Naked; and Prairie Heart.

In addition, he directed Justin Time 2.0; Truffles Chantrelle; Rescues, Inc.; Viva Zavada!; and Grape Expectations.

Boyd first met BT founder T.M. Sell in playwriting class at Western Washington University.

“Howard was the guy everybody wanted to read their work,” Sell recalls. “He had game.”

Some years later, they reconnected through a mutual friend, and when BT was founded, TMS thought of Howard immediately.

“I’m a fourth generation entertainer. I first set foot on stage at the tender age of 5 years as Astayanax in The Trojan Women (and I’ve been dying on stage ever since),” Boyd says.

“God gave me talent and blessed me with a family that nurtured it. It is my duty to use that talent in service to God and community. Art, in all its many variations, is an essential component to human existence. I am not very good at creating art from nothing, but I hope I can play a small part in bringing art into the world as an interpreter through acting, directing and singing.”

Favorite roles over his long career include Allan in Play it Again, Sam; Otto von Bruno in Bullshot Crummond; Doc in Come Back, Little Sheba; Rev. Cannon Chasuble in The Importance of Being Ernest; and Maj. Gen. Stanley in Pirates of Penzance.

Favorite parts for BT have included the other Carbuncle from the Justin Time saga; Scottie the Pressman in Murder in the Newsroom; “the many roles I played in Crazy/Naked;” and Cacciatorre in Out of the Nest.

“And most recently, I am really having fun with Silly Sylvanus in The Last Magician,” Boyd says.

Boyd says the positive experience of working with BT keeps him coming back.

“I like TM and Nancy a lot. They are good people, and I like working with them. I am very impressed that they have been able to make a go of this crazy business we call ‘Show’ without losing their house, day jobs or marriage,” Boyd says.

“Nine years ago they decided to see if they could find a way to showcase TM’s plays, and nearly a decade later they, with the generous assistance of Sherrill at E.B. Foote Winery, have established a well-loved community event in beautiful Burien.”

Please note: to keep ticket prices at an affordable $20, Breeders Theater does not accept credit cards. You can reserve tickets with a credit card, but you will need to pay by cash or check at the door. If you have to charge your credit card, there is a $5 fee per ticket. Otherwise, they do not take credit cards at the door.

Remember, E.B. Foote is a working winery. In winter, that means dress warmly, but in summer, it means think layers. It can get pretty warm in the winery, as we have to turn the air conditioning off during the show (or you wouldn’t be able to hear the actors).

“We’re always thinking ahead, and we’re already thinking about the winter 2010 show. Tentatively, we’ll be doing Snowbound,” Sell said. “It’s a mystery set at a snowed-in inn in the Cascade Mountains. We’ve already had one read-through, and the cast had a lot of suggestions, so there’s some more work to be done.”

For more information on The Last Magician, including where and how to buy tickets, please click here.

Twenty Northwest wineries will offer tastes at the fifth annual Poverty Bay Wine Festival, with an opening night event Friday, Feb. 27th called “Gala of the Gods” at Des Moines’ historic Landmark On The Sound.

The fest will then run Saturday Feb. 28th and Sunday March 1st, and each winery will offer two to four wines for tasting. The event includes a full slate of live music and free samplings from local restaurants.

Among the wineries pouring tastes will be Willis Hall, one of Washington’s up and coming wineries, and Five Star from Walla Walla. New to the festival this year are Sweet Valley, also from Walla Walla, Vashon Winery, and Masset Winery from one of the region’s fastest growing wine areas, Lake Chelan.

Recognizing that value is top-of-mind for many people in today’s economy, tickets include twice as many tasting tokens this year. An afternoon of wine, food, and live music costs $20 in advance, $25 at the door.

Friday’s opening night event will usher in this year’s festival with a Greek theme, and will feature:

• Belly Dancers
• Live music from Takis Dotis and the Mad Greeks
• A Fine Art and Wines Auction
• Anthony’s HomePort will present hors d’oeuvres and dessert buffet.

The evening starts at 7:30pm, it will be a “black tie optional” party, with valet Parking included, and tickets are $75 in advance or $85 at the door. Must be 21 to enter.

This will be one of the public’s last opportunities to attend an event at Landmark On The Sound. This elegant estate overlooking Puget Sound will close for reconstruction this summer and reopen as a private senior living community. The early 20th Century mansion features stunning interiors with classic period details.

Poverty Bay Wine Festival is sponsored by the Rotary Club of Des Moines. All proceeds benefit the charitable projects of the club, which include scholarships, support for the Des Moines Food Bank, grants to local schools, parks improvement, and efforts to assist women in South Africa and Peru.

Tickets are available at Corky Cellars in Des Moines (206-824-9462); Des Moines Drugs, located at 627 South 227th Street; or online at www.dmrotary.org. All proceeds go to local Des Moines Charities.

WHAT: Fifth annual Poverty Bay Wine Festival

WHEN: Opening night is Friday, Feb. 27th, 7:30pm+; also Saturday, Feb. 28, Noon-7pm and Sunday Mar. 1st from Noon-5pm:

• Saturday, March 1st:
  Hours: Noon-7pm
  Featuring Michael Powers and Mambo Cadillac
• Sunday, March 2nd:
  Hours: Noon-5pm
  Featuring CocoLoco and Global Village

WHERE: All events will be at the historic Landmark On The Sound, which is located at 23660 Marine View Drive South in Des Moines (see map below).

COST: Opening night event is $75 in advance or $85 at the door (must be 21 to enter); Festival admission fee is $20 per person pre-sale or $25 at the door, which includes:

• Souvenir wine glass
• Tokens for wine tastings (certain tastings may require more than one token)
• All proceeds go to local Des Moines Charities
• ID Required at Door
• No Pets Please
• This is an indoor event with free parking and free shuttle service from the Des Moines Marina

TICKETS: You can purchase tickets online by clicking here, or go to Corky Cellars (206) 824-9462, Des Moines Drugs, and through Rotary Club of Des Moines. All proceeds go to local Des Moines Charities.

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The B-Town Blog is proud to welcome our latest Advertiser: Breeders Theater’s “Prairie Heart,” a new romantic comedy playing at E.B. Foote Winery starting Jan. 16th!

Love blooms unexpectedly in “Prairie Heart,” written by local Playwright T.M. Sell. The plot revolves around Scandinavian pioneers in North Dakota in the 1890s.

“That’s about the time my great-grandparents homesteaded there,” says Sell.  “The story is based on the kinds of stories their descendants used to talk about when I was a kid.  But I think it’s an immigrant experience that a lot of people will be able to relate to.”

The show is directed by Alan Wilkie with music by Nancy Warren, choreography by Teresa Widner and costumes by Melissa Sell.

The cast features:

• Adrienne Grieco
• Luke Amundson
• Eric Hartley
• Melissa Grinley
• J Howard Boyd
• Steve Scheide
• Melissa Malloy

Show dates are:

• Friday, Jan. 16
• Saturday, Jan. 17
• Sunday, Jan. 18
• Wednesday, Jan. 21
• Friday, Jan. 23
• Saturday, Jan. 24
• Sunday, Jan. 25
• Wednesday, Jan. 28
• Thursday, Jan. 29
• Friday, Jan. 30
• Saturday, Jan. 31
• Sunday, Feb. 1st

On Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturday performances, doors open at 6:30pm, and the show starts at 7pm.

Sunday shows start at 2pm and the doors open at 1:30pm.

The annual “Escape from Super Bowl Sunday” show is Sunday, Feb. 1 and starts at 1pm.

Proceeds from the Jan. 29 show go to benefit the Highline College Foundation.

Each performance includes tasting of E.B. Foote’s award winning wines and hors d’oeurves, still for only $20.

Tickets are $20 per person and include wine tasting, hors d’oeuvres, and the play. The winery will be chilly so dress warmly and casually.  Tickets are available at E.B. Foote Winery and at Corky Cellars, located at 22511 Marine View Drive, Des Moines; phone: 206-824-9462. Visit the winery or call for tickets, 206-242-3852 or check out breederstheater.com.

Tickets can also be ordered online at E.B. Foote’s “Current Releases” page here, and Sherrill will call you to confirm a date and other details (credit cards accepted with a $5 fee per ticket OR your credit card can guarantee the tickets, and you can pay at the door with cash or check.)

For more information, contact T.M. Sell at breederstheater@aol.com.

And now, a quick Q & A with T.M. Sell:

Q: What is “Prairie Heart” about?
A: “Prairie Heart” is about Scandinavian immigrant farmers in North Dakota in the 1890s.  From what I’ve heard and read, life was a bit of challenge then, so it’s about what people went through when they got there.  It’s also about the difficulty of romantic life.

Q: How is this different or similar to your previous work?
A: It’s similar in that there’s romance; it’s different in that there’s no mutant aliens, no talking animals, no gods descending from heaven; just fairly normal folks trying to get through life.  But I hope it’s still funny.

Q: Why 1890s in North Dakota?
A: That’s where my great-grandparents homesteaded, near Minot.  We visited there this summer, and it was very interesting.   So parts of the story is based on their stories.

Q: Are there any parallels to modern-day life in the general Burien area?
A: At some level all of our ancestors were immigrants who went through some struggles to get there.  And at some level, most of us have struggled with romance and relationships and trying to figure how to say the right thing to the right person, while hoping that he or she doesn’t laugh in your face.

Q: Tell us about your cast.
A: Luke Amundson plays Ole, a bachelor farmer; he played Tom Monroe in Crazy/Naked last year.  Adrienne Grieco plays Ingrid, a young woman who ends up alone and basically penniless in his town.  Eric Hartley and Melissa Grinley play a more settled, successful farm couple; Steve Scheide plays another young man who is interested in Ingrid; J Howard Boyd plays a narrator who helps explain the story as it unfolds.   It’s a very strong cast and I feel very lucky to get work with them all once again.

Q: I understand you’re doing a benefit show – details please?
A: Jan. 29 is our annual fundraiser for an arts scholarship that we created at Highline College.  We’ve been able to help a dozen students with tuition assistance in the eight years we’ve been doing the scholarship.

Q: Let’s talk about the important stuff now – the wine – what’s on tap for this production? And do the cast members get to imbibe during the show?
A: Sherrill will be tasting six wines, featuring her reds, of course.  I can’t speak for how medicated the cast might be for a show, but they do tend to take their work very seriously.

Q: As 2009 begins, do you have any predictions for Readers of the B-Town Blog?
A: More crazy weather; more timely local news; perhaps more awareness that we really do live in a very nice part of town.

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The B-Town Blog is proud to raise a glass to its latest Advertiser, Vino Bello!

You’ve probably seen us list their unique Saturday Wine Tasting Events often, and that’s only because we think they’re great folks with a fantastic business (not to mention a huge selection of outstanding wines).

On July 4th, 2006, Vino Bello – Italian for beautiful wine – opened downtown at 636 SW 152nd Street, making it Burien’s premier wine shop & wine bar.

Featuring an extensive wine-by-the-glass menu and retail selection from around the world, Vino Bello offers something for everyone.

Meet your neighbors at the Saturday wine tasting events that often showcase winemakers from our own backyard – little known, boutique wineries from Walla Walla, Yakima Valley, Chelan County and the Willamette Valley in OR.

And this Thursday night (April 24th), don’t miss a special Beijo Bag & Accessory Party, starting at 5pm. It’s always a great “girls night out” when Diane brings the latest Beijo fashions to Vino Bello.

Saturday tastings start at Noon and go to 8pm; live music starts at 5pm, featuring jazz, blues and folk music.

Be sure to come by Vino Bello this Saturday, April 26th, from Noon – 8pm for wine tastings of Ash Hollow Vineyard, which is located just within the western edge of the Walla Walla Valley appellation just south of Highway 12. Having the same 46º N latitude as Bordeaux, it has become as an exceptional source for Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec, and Syrah grapes. Because of its northern latitude, Ash Hollow Vineyard enjoys up to two hours more summer sunlight than other wine growing regions. The longer days allow the grapes to fully ripen, and the cool nights provide a higher natural acidity. The vineyard also offers dramatic views of the Walla Walla Valley and Blue Mountains.

Saturday’s Tasting Lineup:

• 2007 Dry Gewurztraminer: This wonderful dry Gewurztraminer, 100% stainless steel produced, has intense tropical fruit & spicy lemon zest aromatics. Golden lemonade in color, terrific legs, great body, layers of fantastic tropical fruits with just the right amount of spice.

• 2007 Sauvignon Blanc: Crisp & clean, light & refreshing; the 2007 Sauvignon Blanc waits to share its zesty citric, lush tropical fruits & dried pineapple aromas with you. Hints of starfruit, cut grass, and a complex minerality develop into a somehow lean yet rich, long finish.

• 2007 Somanna: Somanna, their premier white wine, is a 50/50 blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Gris which exhibits lovely notes of pear, passion fruit, and pineapple, followed by the subtleness of cut green grass and lemon zest. Unique, Boutique, Crisp & Clean; Enjoy!

• 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon: This wonderful wine is what the Ash Hollow Estate Vineyards are all about; classic “Old World” style Cabernet Sauvignon! The dark red color teases of the richness to come; aristocratic layers of complexity & a fantastic finish.

• 2006 Syrah, Walla Walla Valley Estate: The Ash Hollow Estate Syrah is “Old World” in style with a little “New World” attitude. Blackberries, blueberry pie, dark chocolate & cigar box; seamless power & elegance. Get ready to love this 2006 vintage! Wow!

Vino Bello offers a unique experience for the local wine-lover with an intimate and relaxing setting, a selection of eclectic beers from around the world, triple-cert Tony’s coffee and espresso and fresh antipasto plates and artisan cheese flights.

Available for private party reservations and charity events, check the Vino Bello website today for upcoming events and be sure to join the mailing list.

Whether you’re looking for a quiet place to socialize or need that perfect bottle of wine for that special dinner or gift – Vino Bello can help you!

So, please raise a glass and toast our newest Advertiser Vino Bello!