I love good food and I love a good cause that involves food. One of my favorite restaurants here in Hermosa Beach, Mediterranéo, teamed up with non profit Chef's Collaborative to hold a one night food event here in Hermosa back in early March. Chef's Collaborative raises awareness to the term "trash fish" and other forms of sustainable cooking and dinning. ("Trash fish" is a term deemed to those fish caught that most people toss back in which go to waste.

Mediterranéo landed their hands on a very limited beer known as Pliny the Younger, which if you're a been drinker translates to a huge deal as it's a rare acquired beer. With their hands on the beer, Mediterranó and the support of Chef's Collaborative held a foodie explosion called Trash Fish Dinner LA. Several chefs from local Los Angeles and Boulder, Colorado restaurants teamed together and prepared a "trash fish" menu showing all those in attendance just how tasty every sea creature can be. It was a seriously amazing dinner and night! -AG

(All participants in the evening can be contacted via links at the end of this post.)

Lobster Trapped Conger Eel - Connie & Ted's

The whole night wouldn't have been made possible without the support of the staff at Mediterranéo, the collaborative efforts of chefs from various restaurants, as well as several local Hermosa Beach businesses and Chef's Collaborative.

and now a list of all the amazing talents behind this amaze balls evening!

Location: Mediterranéo (Hermosa Beach, CA)

Event Sponsor: Chef's Collaborative

Chef's: David LeFever of Fishing w/ Dynamite + MB Post (Manhattan Beach, CA)

Kelly Whitaker of Basta + Cart-Driver (Boulder, CO)

Michael Cimarusti & Sam Baxter of Connie & Ted's + Providence (West Hollywood, CA)

Jason Travi of Littlefork (Hollywood, CA)

Margarita (Marge) Manzke of République (Los Angeles, CA)

Beer: Russian River Brewing Co. (Santa Rosa, CA)

Furniture and Interior: Curious... (Hermosa Beach, CA)

Event styled and accessorized: Shryne Design (Hermosa Beach, CA)

Step and Repeat Board: Katherine Peterson

Birthday's are the perfect time to go all out. Birthday's that are considered milestones are no exception, in fact they should probably be all out wild and crazy! The perfect theme will make wild and crazy happen!

While back on the Island of Kauai in January I had the chance to take part in celebrating a 40th birthday party. Not just any 40th birthday party, but a wedding themed party! Yeah you read that right. Tracey wanted her party attendees to come in their wedding attire. "Everyone has these dresses and maybe suits and only get to wear them once. I want to pull them out of the closet and have a good time." Tracey also had her party decorated in a wedding party fashion. Oh boy was it a fun night, I just love island life!

Thanks again Tracey for letting me be a part of this epic 40th, Kauai style! -AG

Of course there was the bouquet toss with a switch up where the men caught it.

With every birthday and wedding there must be cake... and little babies are a must.

Tracey, we love you and celebrate you!

Know someone who will be having a milestone birthday and needs ideas for the theme? Share this birthday-wedding-event to their walls, or twitter feeds!

Feel free to connect with me through anyone of the social app forms to the left as well...

<===

Hermosa Beach, CA - Trash Fish Los Angeles Dinner

Kauai, Hawaii - Tracey's Awesome 40th Birthday Wedding Party