Benefiting the Santa Barbara Rape Crisis Center
By
FBWorld Team
The
Santa Barbara Women's Club was the destination for wine
and chocolate lovers to savor some sensational wines and sinful
chocolates to benefit the Santa Barbara Rape Crisis Center.
Rincon Catering & Beach Club provided an amazing assortment
of exceptional appetizers, entrees and cheese specialties that
got rave reviews from guests.
Matthew
Chung, fine and rare wine consultant, shared secrets
of successfully pairing chocolate with wines being poured at the
evening fundraiser. Wines being poured were from Beckman Vineyards,
Brower-Clifton, Dierberg Estate Vineyard, Giessinger Winery, Imagine
Wine, Oreana Winery, Palmina, Rideau Vineyard, Riverbench Vineyard
& Winery, Starlane Vineyard, and Whitcraft Winery. Chocolate
tastes were provided by Carlos Lima, Brasil Arts Café;
Andie Escobar, The French Table; Tom Neuhaus, Mama Ganache Artisan
Chocolates; Ashleigh Johnston-Barton, Piece of Mind; Renaud Gonthier,
Renaud's Patisserie & Bistro; Marc Borowitz, Rincon Catering
& Beach Club; Suzon Bishop, Santa Barbara Fudge; Lauren Pitts,
Shaybu Chocolates, and Ashleigh Carracino, Sojourner Café.
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Judges
for the competition were Jean-Michel Carre, Owner of Chocolats
du Calibressan, Indera Mortensen, Pastry Chef, Fresco Café,
and Lys Gabriella Poet, Local Private Chef.
Awards
were given for Best Table Presentation and Best Chocolate Dessert
to Renaud Gonthier - Renaud's Patisserie & Bistro; Best Chocolates
went to Lauren Pitts - Shaybu Chocolates and the People's Choice
Award went to Tom Neuhaus - Mama Ganashe Artisan Chocolates.
A
silent auction and live auction of unique gifts, which included
a two day trip to Hearst Castle from Santa Barbara to the Castle
in a historic train car donated by California Zephyr Railcar Charters,
along with tables of specialty gift items to bid on attracted
a crowd. The entertaining Emcee for the evening who conducted
the live auction was Sean English.
Santa
Barbara Rape Crisis Center empowers people through healing
and social change to eliminate all forms of sexual violence. We
are committed to transforming lives by providing services and
education to meet the needs of our diverse community. Since 1974,
Santa Barbara Rape Crisis Center has worked to
support sexual assault survivors and their loved ones, and to
build a community free from sexual violence.
For
information visit www.sbrapecrisiscenter.org.
