The Citadel Theatre: “Hunchback”

Catalyst Theatre is one of those companies that makes one proud to be an Edmontonian. Frankenstein and Nevermore, the previous two creations by Jonathan Christenson and Bretta Gerecke, were nothing short of spectacular, so their third production, commissioned by the Citadel Theatre, was highly anticipated with near-daunting expectations. Hunchback, as described on the Citadel’s website:

This darkly romantic musical, set amid the buttresses and shadows of Notre Dame Cathedral, is a surprising new take on Victor Hugo’s famous story. A tormented priest, a beautiful dancer and the deformed bell ringer Quasimodo, are swept up in a vortex of lust, fear and the desire to control destiny that ultimately destroys them all.

It was also the first Catalyst production to host live musicians, which definitely seemed to fit the grand landscape of the epic story.

The set, while seemingly utilitarian at first glance, was a versatile wonder. With the help of deft lighting design, the steel tripods were transformed from the soaring towers of Notre Dame to the cavernous dungeons underneath. I also particularly liked the scene where Quasimodo introduced his ringing charges to La Esmeralda – the two-dimensional drop-downs meant the focus remained on his verbal adoration of the bells, and of course, on their resonance. The costumes were similarly eye-catching – notably, Quasimodo’s skeletal, wired hump and La Esmeralda’s fall from grace epitomized by the trade of her shimmering tulle skirt for a haunting white gown.

Compared to Frankenstein and Nevermore, Hunchback was not based around a central pillar, and in fact, the titular Quasimodo was actually a secondary figure to La Esmeralda and Claude Frollo. For that reason, I was left wanting to learn more about Frollo’s back story – it seemed that  La Esmeralda was likely a catalyst and not the cause of his surfacing flaws.

The two actors that had me transfixed were Jeremy Bauming, as the tale’s narrator, and Ava Jane Markus, as La Esmeralda. Bauming extolled the rhythms of Christenson’s language as if they were song (his effortless delivery of the passing of a “liquid afternoon”  was magical). Markus was taxed with the weight of being a hub of lust for two men, and the saviour of one. She handled it with grace and beauty.

The musical numbers, while bolstered by the live musicians, weren’t as memorable as those in the other two shows; not one of the songs remained with us after curtain. As a result, Mack and I remained true to our favourite Catalyst productions – he to Nevermore and I to Frankenstein.

Still, because of the highly stylized shows that are Christenson and Gerecke’s trademark, Hunchback is worth seeing. I don’t know when it might run again, but if you missed it, be sure to jump at the next opportunity.

Day 4 in San Francisco: Touring Wine Country

Though we wanted to explore some of the Bay area’s wineries, we wanted to avoid renting a car if at all possible – besides taking advantage of public transportation, it would ensure we wouldn’t have to worry about driving after one too many glasses of wine. And, well, our wine palates are not exactly finely tuned, so neither of us were that particular about which wineries to hit. Mack took on the task of researching group tour possibilities.

In his exploration of Napa Valley shuttles, he uncovered a plethora of terrible websites (sure, they may not be directly connected to the tech world, but it was a little ironic given its proximity to the start-up capital of North America). Most seats were priced in the $75 to $100 range, only some of which were “all inclusive” of entry fees and tastings. We eventually settled on the Wine Country Tour Shuttle, which was competitively priced, but more importantly, would pick us up from the centrally-located Ferry Building.

Wine Country Tour

Wine Country Tours (and Tom!)

We met up with our driver and tour guide Tom at 8:30 that morning, and all 38 of us boarded a comfortable bus for the journey. Our fellow passengers spanned age and countries of origin – some were from as far away as South Africa and Switzerland. Tom, a retired schoolteacher, was a fantastic guide, affable, knowledgeable, but light in his delivery. Though not in the same league, after a poor experience with an incompetent Contiki guide in Europe, I knew that the leader would make or break the excursion, so it was particularly comforting to be in good hands.

Our only complaint about the tour was why the organizers didn’t make it an all inclusive tour. I’m certain adding even $25 to the overall price that would help cover entry to and tastings at the first winery wouldn’t have deterred anyone from selecting this company. It just seemed silly that after booking the tickets online that we had to have cash on hand at all for something other than wine purchases.

Besides that, we had a lovely time. Our first stop was V. Sattui, which, curiously, boasts the only deli in Napa Valley (even more curious was the fact that they kept reciting this fact as if it was the biggest selling point of V. Sattui). We had read online that goods in the deli were quite expensive, so being the “clever” travellers we were, we thought to kill two birds with one stone by bringing along the tasting pack we had purchased the day before at Cowgirl Creamery (and thus having the perfect excuse to try their cheese).

V. Sattui

V. Sattui

Well, it turns out our planning was unnecessary, given the tour provided us each with a $10 credit to spend in the deli. It did bolster our lunch offerings, however, and meant we were able to round out our meal with meat and bread as well. Being a beautiful California day, it was an afternoon made for an outdoor picnic.

V. Sattui

The spread

After lunch, we headed to the tasting room, where we had to jostle for a spot at the counter. Though the tasting fee wasn’t included with the tour, it was a decent deal – 5 samples for $5. We ended up picking up a bottle of Gamay Rouge – V. Sattui wines aren’t available in stores, and it’s rare that Mack and I find a red that we both like.

V. Sattui

Tasting room

Samples

Our second stop was probably my favourite of our entire tour, even if the ambassador of Domaine Chandon had the air of a used car salesman – I had to give it to him, the man knew how to make a show of opening pressured bottles.

Domaine Chandon

Ever the showman

Domaine Chandon is known for its sparkling wines, of which we were able to try three. We bought a small bottle of Classic Brut to remember the winery in all its lush, green glory.

Domaine Chandon

Cheers!

Domaine, with its garden-lined paths was what I thought most of Napa would look like. In actuality, the vineyards actually looked quite bleak – sure, the vines themselves were green, but driving past large segments of yellowed grass between wineries that had seen better days, it was a visual reminder of California’s dependence on irrigation.

Domaine Chandon

The vines at Domaine Chandon

Franciscan was our third stop, notable for its bore of a guide, but also for the freedom we had to taste grapes fresh off the vine. It was also the winery with the priciest bottles (in the $60 range), which meant our hands stayed in our pockets.

Franciscan

Franciscan

Franciscan

Mmm…grapes

We also had to take an obligatory photo on the Rutherford Bench – which actually refers not to a literal bench, but the area that Franciscan falls in that is ideal for grape production.

Franciscan

The “Rutherford Bench”

Our last stop was the Whitehall Lane Winery, which helped demonstrate why the Wine Country Tour Shuttle was so popular – it showcased different aspects of the wine-making process, from grape to aging. At Whitehall, we were ushered into the production facility, which included some time in their enormous barrel chilling space, filled from floor to ceiling with 1100 barrels.

Whitehall Lane

So many barrels!

After too many wine samples (with a constant longing for accompanying bread or cheese), our way back to San Francisco was a welcome one – a breezy, refreshing ferry ride from Vallejo across the Bay.

San Francisco

Bye, Vallejo!

Dinner wasn’t gourmet, and in fact, the grease probably helped with the detox. We crawled back to the Westfield Mall, and dined on overstuffed pizza ($4.99) from Bristol Farms. I am still amazed Mack managed to make his way through his meat lover’s monstrosity.

Bristol Farms

More meat than you should handle

What would day 5 have in store for us? Well, a Top Chef Masters sighting for starters!

The No Line Brunch: Big Fish

In perusing Chowhound threads to determine a brunch spot while in Calgary last month, I came across the suggestion of Big Fish, a restaurant run by the same folks behind the ever-popular Diner Deluxe. Posters commented about the restaurant’s under-the-radar quality, meaning that one could snag a seat without a gratuitous wait. We were sold.

Arriving at Big Fish on a Saturday morning, we got exactly what we expected – a table upon arrival. (other pluses – the restaurant has a decent-sized parking lot, and even takes reservations). There were two other parties when we sat down, but the restaurant was no more than half-full during our stay.

Big Fish

Interior

The dining room was flush with natural light, and cozy, with well-worn wooden furniture. I could easily see why the family seated behind us had chosen this as the venue for a birthday celebration – in many ways, it felt like eating in a friend’s kitchen, laid-back and comfortable. The service mirrored the room, friendly but relaxed (and our coffee mugs were never empty!).

In spite of the restaurant’s name, Big Fish does have a few brunch options devoid of seafood. I chose two of them. First, the wild mushroom, truffle, basil and white cheddar scramble on duck confit hash ($15). It was a rich, filling dish (my first time enjoying duck for breakfast), with a generous cap of melted cheese on top. The pea shoots were a nice touch, but I was hoping for something more than smashed, boiled potatoes for the hash.

Big Fish

Wild mushroom, truffle, basil and white cheddar scramble on duck confit hash

The second was due to my indecisiveness, and a bit of a Gilmore Girls moment – the Urban Baker raisin brioche French toast with orange curd and maple syrup sounded too good to pass up, and the server said it was all right to order just a slice. And yes, it was worth the indulgence, the citrus providing just the right burst of freshness to balance out the butter and syrup.

Big Fish

French toast with orange curd and maple syrup

Mack ordered the eggs benedict with dungeness crab ($14). Like me, he would have preferred crispy potatoes, but he did say that the smashed potatoes willingly soaked up the runny yolks. And the most telling picture of all: he finished his plate.

Big Fish

Eggs benedict with dungeness crab

It’s odd, the line that separates brunch from lunch. While that line is formed to some degree by the time of day, day of the week, and menu items, atmosphere also plays a big factor, at least for us.  Though the food was solid at Big Fish, the space just didn’t have that buzz, that intangible weekend zest for life that our favourite restaurants do. Half the fun of brunch is the people-watching, after all! For that reason, though it’s probably not rational to choose line-ups over reservations, unless we needed to secure a table in advance, you’ll likely find us back at Dairy Lane or Over Easy instead.

Big Fish
1112 Edmonton Trail Northeast
(403) 277-3403

The Quest for Okonomiyaki: Ichiban

The original reason Ellen and I had decided to dine at Mikado late last year was two-fold: she had wanted me to try sushi (the raw kind), but we had also heard that they apparently offered okonomiyaki (a Japanese pancake) off-menu.

Though Mikado ended up not serving okonomiyaki, Ellen did finally track down a restaurant that does serve it – Ichiban on the west end, located in the same strip mall as Bon Ton Bakery. We made a date with Jill for dinner there two weeks back, mostly so we could finally share that elusive okonomiyaki.

It was surprisingly busy for a Monday night, but Ichiban had the vibe of being a go-to neighbourhood restaurant – nothing fancy decor-wise, but clean and comfortable, with a mix of booths and tables to choose from. We opted to share a number of small dishes, which, short of going the bento box/udon route, seems to be the ideal way to dine at Japanese establishments.

We started with a dish probably the furthest from my comfort zone – an order of sunrise maki ($9.95), rolls comprised of shrimp tempura, tobiko and fresh salmon and tuna. The battered shrimp was an interesting addition, and enveloped by a ring of rice, could have been the sort of one-bite appetizer served at an upscale cocktail function, but for me, the raw element was again a stumbling block. Here, the difference in temperatures between the tempura and the salmon just highlighted my aversion further. I hated disappointing Jill and Ellen though, especially knowing how much they love sushi, and want for me to love it too.

Ichiban

Sunrise maki

The rest of the meal was rounded out by other small plates that would definitely have a wider appeal. Kara-age tofu ($4.50) remains one of my new favourite Japanese discoveries – a lightly fried shell giving way to silky tofu within. The oyster ponzu ($6.50) was a little less successful, with a bit too much breading impeding on the taste of the oyster itself. And how can anyone not love tempura ($10.95)? Ichiban seemed to do a particularly good job – light and crisp, it didn’t feel like as much of a guilty pleasure as it should have been. We also thought the restaurant was quite generous in its serving, with a number of shrimp to go around.

Ichiban

Kara-age tofu

Ichiban

Oyster ponzu

Ichiban

Tempura

But of course, the main event was the okonomiyaki ($7.95), a savoury pancake of sorts which could include a variety of fillings. In Ichiban’s case, it was dried shrimp, cabbage and bacon, worked into the batter, then fried. Given this was my first encounter with this dish, I chose to defer my judgement to Jill and Ellen. They said that they were used to puffier versions, and said the kitchen should have included more cabbage. They were also hoping for a drizzle of Japanese mayonnaise on top. In all, we enjoyed it, but we agreed that it wasn’t worth going out of your way to seek.

Ichiban

Okonomiyaki

Service was good but nothing exceptional – food arrived at a fair clip, and our server checked in on us every so often. But while we enjoyed our meal at Ichiban, the experience left us with the same feeling that the okonomiyaki did – we’d likely only visit again if we were already in the neighbourhood.

Of course, I’m thankful to have friends that are willing to push me to try new things, friends that ultimately put up with my stubborn palate. We even have our next Japanese adventure already planned: shabu-shabu!

Ichiban
8750 149 Street
(780) 481-5252

Food Notes for March 21, 2011

I hope everyone isn’t having too much trouble avoiding those puddles! Most of the lake-sized ones seem to have disappeared over the weekend, which I for one am thankful for – I’m pretty sure those two trucks aimed to splash me on my way home last week…on to this week’s food notes:

  • Looking for something to do this Saturday? How about helping out a good cause at Twestival? Join other Tweeps at Red Star Pub on March 24 as they raise funds for the Edmonton Public School Foundation.
  • Somerville Wine & Cheese is celebrating their grand opening March 24-26, 2011. They will be offering free prosecco until 8pm and live music on each night, and a percentage of the sales will be donated to support arts programs at Westmount and Oliver Schools.
  • Sorrentino’s is celebrating two decades of their annual Garlic Festival this year, just around the corner in April. As a thank-you, they are offering $20 gift cards to be used during the Festival.
  • The big news this week was about the expansion of Duchess, who will be tripling in size. Not only are they expanding the size of their kitchen space, but they will also be adding a dessert bar!
  • A new, authentic Mexcian restaurant on Rice Howard Way called Tres Carnale is taking shape! Great to see they are documenting the work for the public to see in a blog format.
  • Brooke wrote about a new Japanese restaurant called Nomiya (3803 Calgary Trail) on the south side.
  • Both Karlynn and Leslie had the chance to sample some of the savoury fare at Queen of Tarts last week.
  • Kathryn offers us a peek inside the Jacek Chocolate Couture studio.
  • Is it still hyper-local if the street chosen is an artery that cuts across the city? Liane posted about a new food blog that chronicles vegetarian eats along 99 Street.
  • It was great to read about Barr Estate Winery in Taste Alberta last week.
  • I noticed recently that the Good Food Box added a “how local is it” rating (out of 5) under each product. Points are awarded for local ownership, production, and source of ingredients. For example, Clover Valley Honey rate 5/5, beech mushrooms from MoNa rate 3/5, while Two Leaves and a Bud Peppermint Tea rates 0/5 (at that point, one has to wonder why it is in the Good Food Box at all…).
  • Canadian Beef is awarding several Canadian food bloggers the opportunity to attend a food blogging conference in DC for free.
  • The City Market held its second farmers’ market at City Hall this past Saturday, albeit in the parkade. I’m glad the rest of the markets will be returning to the bright City Room – hope to see you there!

Parkade

In the grey zone

The Cooking Chronicles: More Comfort Food

I always have great timing: just as the weather starts to get warm, I am still writing about comfort food! Here are a few recipes we tried over the past few weeks:

Lamb Stew with Sundried Tomatoes

We pulled out the slow cooker for a Company’s Coming lamb stew recipe. Intrigued by the inclusion of sundried tomatoes and honey, we thought it’d be a great way to use some of the Four Whistle Farm lamb obtained through the Good Food Box.

In addition to the tomatoes were the usual suspects (onions, carrots, potatoes, beef stock), but unfortunately, they couldn’t save the dish. The honey and tomatoes made the dish much too sweet, and worse, the time in the slow cooker stripped the latter of flavour, leaving behind unpleasant wisps of rehydrated tomatoes.

Lamb Stew

Lamb stew with sundried tomatoes

We still have another pound of lamb stew in the freezer, and funnily enough, the Good Food Box delivery actually came with a free lamb cookbook. We’ll likely turn to it the next time around.

Chicken and Leek Pot Pie

This recipe for chicken and leek pot pie looked too good to pass up. We cheated by starting with a store-bought rotisserie chicken instead of cooking our own, and didn’t bother straining out the gravy, but the results were fantastic! The biscuit topping was particularly delectable, and is worth the minor effort (we’re used to slapping on a puff pastry crust, but this was so much better).

Instead of cooking for one, we quadrupled the recipe, and ended up with two 8-inch pies. And though Mack usually gets bored with eating the same dishes for lunch and dinner, but it wasn’t so with this pie – he happily cleaned out all of the leftovers!

Chicken and Leek Pot Pie

Chicken and leek pot pie

Hearty Tomato, Sausage and Bean Stew

While in line at the grocery store, the February 2011 Canadian Living magazine cover caught my eye with a picture of a hearty tomato, sausage and bean stew. We had some Italian sausages in the freezer and the rest of the necessary ingredients in the pantry, so it was a great go-to meal.

Hearty Tomato, Sausage and Bean Stew

Hearty tomato, sausage and bean stew

Flavour-wise though, the pasta e fagioli we made earlier in the year was much more memorable (likely because it included bacon instead of sausage), so I’m not sure this stew will get a regular rotation.

Though I’ve enjoyed the soups and stews of winter, I am looking forward to the transition towards some seasonal dishes of spring soon!

2011 California Wine Fair

What event combines three hundred wines, tasty appetizers, one of the most stunning spaces in Edmonton and the ability to support fine theatre? If you answered the California Wine Fair, you’d be correct! A fundraiser thirteen years running, the proceeds from the event go towards the artistic endeavours of the Citadel Theatre.

I was lucky enough to be given two tickets to this year’s fair, which ended up being a blessing of sorts. Due to a prior volunteer commitment, I wasn’t able to meet up with May until the last hour of the event, which, though unfortunate, still meant we could get a taste of what the California Wine Fair was all about.

Walking into Hall D at the Shaw Conference Centre was a bit overwhelming. Sure, there weren’t three hundred vendors (most booths were pouring several different bottles), but the fair still presented a veritable sea of wines to try. The crowd was diverse, but was definitely younger than I expected – a majority consisted of that “next gen” set.

Given our time limitations, May and I opted to be selective with our sampling choices, opting for varieties that we knew we would enjoy – namely, rosés and dessert wines.

California Wine Fair

We love rosés!

We ended up only trying about ten different wines. Our top three: the Woodbridge by Robert Mondavi Moscato (no surprise, given the Moscato was our favourite from a wine tasting at Vinomania); the sweet nectar also known as Deviation by Quady; and the Classic Brut from Domaine Chandon. I was particularly tickled to see Domaine Chandon represented – Mack and I had the pleasure of touring their winery in Napa when we were down in San Francisco last fall.

California Wine Fair

Domaine Chandon

We observed that there weren’t as many rosés as we would have expected, though we acknowledged the season and the fact that they are meant for more uncomplicated palates. Also, it was somewhat surprising that some wines being sampled weren’t (yet) available in Edmonton liquor stores. Of course, a room full of wine enthusiasts provides a great opportunity to introduce new patrons to a brand in the hopes they may look for it in the future.

After attending the appetizer tasting and wine preview, it was neat to be able to see which the planning committee ended up choosing. Like me, May enjoyed the goat cheese sphere with caramelized onions marmalade most of all. The cheese plate and the chocolate truffles were much appreciated (in pairing with our wines and preventing the alcohol from going straight to our heads), but a hearty meal would have been the ideal proactive move.

California Wine Fair

The jerk chicken and mango chutney in a tortilla cup and roasted shallot, spinach and feta cheese tartlet were good too!

At the end of the night, May and I agreed that we would attend the California Wine Fair next year. For the food, atmosphere and of course, the wine, it would be well worth the $65 ticket. Especially if one were to be on time.

Thanks again to the Citadel for the chance to check it out! See you in 2012!

The “Element of Taste” with Chef Susur Lee

For three years now, the NAIT Hokanson Chef in Residence program has brought world-renowned chefs to Edmonton, for the purposes of mentoring students who are training in the Culinary Arts program. This year’s Chef in Residence, Susur Lee, not only brings extensive restaurant experience – with establishments in Toronto, DC, New York and Singapore to his credit – but also the most diverse cooking influence thus far. Chef Lee is known for his fusion cuisine; he first rose to fame with his Chinese fare blended with French techniques and ingredients. In recent years, he has dabbled in other styles – inspiration that some lucky diners were able to experience firsthand this afternoon.

NAIT hosted a special luncheon dubbed the Element of Taste at Ernest’s today, with Culinary Arts students tasked with preparing a three-course meal under the tutelage of Chef Lee (recipes for all of the dishes served today can be found in Chef Lee’s book, Susur: A Culinary Life). I was fortunate enough to be invited to an event mostly filled by Edmonton’s hospitality community, alongside a few other local food writers and bloggers including Valerie, Kevin, Evonne, Maki, Mary and Liane.

Element of Taste with Chef Susur Lee

Chef Susur Lee

The meal began with a spicy lobster tart with bonito. It was no doubt a bold introduction to Chef Lee’s cuisine: puff pastry adorned with tomatoes, lobster, olives, bonito flakes, goat cheese and a spicy tomatillo sauce. The presentation was gorgeous, a decorative arch of red draped artistically over the tart. There were mixed reviews around the table, and I had to agree with some of the opinions that there were too many elements at play – the briny olives overpowered much of the other flavours for me.

Element of Taste with Chef Susur Lee

Spicy lobster tart with bonito

Our entrees were much better received: rack of lamb with chickpea puree in a sweet olive and spicy cumin tomato sauce. The dish had a vibrant quality about it, and perfumed the air with a cumin-scented fragrance as soon as the plates were delivered. The lamb, cooked medium rare, had been treated with an intense curry and coriander spice infusion that paired perfectly with the mint chutney. There were raves about the hummus, heady and rich. We later discovered (with Allan’s help) that the chickpeas had been individually shucked before preparing the puree – talk about attention to detail.

Element of Taste with Chef Susur Lee

Rack of lamb with chickpea puree

Dessert arrived like spring, a taste of warmer climes. A bright, fresh passionfruit sauce enlivened a vanilla-speckled panna cotta. I particularly loved the adornment of thinly sliced pineapple and the tang of the raspberry paste. It was a beautiful end to a lovely meal.

Element of Taste with Chef Susur Lee

Vanilla panna cotta

At the end of the meal, the students, deservedly so, received a standing ovation from the dining room. The service staff were also fantastic today – each course was delivered with a flourish fit for royalty.

Element of Taste with Chef Susur Lee

Allan (who helped prepare the entrees), chats with Valerie and Kevin

Thanks again to NAIT for the invitation. It was a wonderful afternoon to be a part of.

Food Notes for March 14, 2011

Anyone else watch The Bachelor finale today? I know I’m probably not supposed to admit it, but the show always sucks me in! On to this week’s food notes:

For the Love of Food: Eat Alberta 2011

Eat Alberta Logo Last summer, Valerie approached me with the idea of organizing an Alberta-wide food conference. Given the rising interest in buying local and the burgeoning online food community, she thought it was the perfect time to arrange a more formal opportunity for people to connect with one another, and learn more about the bounty we have in Alberta.

For many reasons, the province-wide aspect was dropped in favour of focusing on what we knew – Edmonton and its surrounding areas. We also downsized our original attendee target, realizing that the quality of the conference would be most important, especially because our hope was for this event to continue on an annual basis.

In the fall, we asked several other members of the local food community to join us in this endeavour – Sherene, a food blogger, Allan, a chef and blogger, and Mack, a social media guru. We also realized that the goals of this conference very much aligned with those of Slow Food Edmonton (of which Valerie, Allan, Mack and I belonged to already), and that it made sense for the event to come under their banner of promoting good, clean and fair food.

As a result, with Valerie’s leadership and through our discussions, Eat Alberta was born.

On April 30, 2011, the inaugural Eat Alberta conference will take place in downtown Edmonton. Through a mix of hands-on and demonstration workshops, tasting sessions, and presentations from some of the leaders of our food community – farmers, chefs and local food advocates – we hope that participants will learn how to use and source local food as well as develop nurturing and ongoing relationships with one another and with those that produce our food.

Here are a sampling of the sessions participants can look forward to:

  • Wine pairing workshop with The Tomato’s Mary Bailey
  • Hands-on artisan sausage making with chef Allan Suddaby
  • Goat cheese making demonstration with Holly Gale of Smoky Valley Goat Cheese
  • Honey tasting with Patty Milligan, aka Lola Canola
  • Slow-rise pizza dough lesson with Yvan Chartrand of Tree Stone Bakery
  • Home coffee brewing tips from Josh Hockin of Transcend Coffee
  • Keynote presentations from Jennifer Berkenbosch and James Vriend of Sundog Organics and Kevin Kossowan, who will share learnings from his “From Local Farms” project

Registration for the conference opens March 14, with early bird registration closing on March 31. Conference fees will include a small continental breakfast, lunch, and a glass of wine. Be sure to register early for the best selection of sessions!

I hope to see you there!