Taste of Dawn

COLUMNS, HT's Take, Los Angeles, Music | Theatre

RENT

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This cast of RENT certainly meets those criteria. The performances were energetic and committed, as was the entire production. This isn’t such a surprise, since the theater group raised crowd-funding money through indiegogo. I fully support crowd-funding as a way to sustain the arts, especially since government funding for projects seem to be ever further away. We may see some disappointments, but most of the time we’ll get art and performances that reflects the full dedication of the artists.

Reagan Osborn grounds the cast in a near-perfect interpretation of Mark Cohen, the play’s narrator. Osborn is a terrific singer and provides a subtle character read. Similar praises go to standout performances from Alli Miller, who plays Maureen to great laughs, but also captures her seductive charisma, as well as the entire back up cast of bohemians, tent city dwellers, and intruding parents. The group of terrific singers and actors made the most of small roles and added their fantastic voices to the lively group numbers.

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Ali's Fashion, COLUMNS, Dawn Garcia, DG's Passion, Fashion, Fashion | Health, Los Angeles

PinUp Girl Clothing The Fashion Diary

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“Imagine walking down the street. Your body hugging the very fabric that has become synonymous with every bit of sex appeal and confidence you know is alive and well within. Imagine how good you feel. How the lines of the dress just hang onto your skin as if you have been transformed into the woman you’ve always wanted to be. You are breathtaking, strong, sinfully sexy, and you feel that sudden sense of intrigue: THAT is PinUp Girl Clothing.” – Dawn Garcia

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Austin, COLUMNS, DG's Passion, Hotel, Lifestyle, Limited Edition, TRAVEL, Travelogue

Heywood Hotel Austin

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The most notable aspect of the Heywood Hotel is something I genuinely believe that every single Hotel around the world would benefit to mirror: their mini-bar. Their mini-bar has an entire selection and nothing is over $4 and even the bottles of wine are normal range. There is no markup or traditional pricing and honestly, as a person who travels and stays at so many hotels all over, this is by far the most refreshing innovation ever. Kathy not only created a hotel that has incredible decor, exquisite brands – everything is Spa related – the mini-bar is stocked with local and edible fare, bottles of water not more than $2, and somehow you just feel like you are family – she took time in developing the look and feel of a place that is thoughtful, pristine, and suffices every need you could have.

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Austin, Austin F & W, COLUMNS, DG's Passion, Eat | Drink, Events, Limited Edition, Special Event, Wine & Beer

Austin Food & Wine Festival DAY 3

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Today the sun is unrelenting, burning our flesh the moment the yellow burst rises up. As I walk in through the entrance, there sits on the grass a large table with the signature black tablecloth. On it? Stacks and stacks of commemorative glasses for the taking. Shatter-proof and bearing the insignia of the 2013 Austin Food & Wine Festival. Yes, this is the very last day and I look on it with a bit of sadness.

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Austin, Austin F & W, COLUMNS, DG's Passion, Eat | Drink, Events, Limited Edition, Special Event, Wine & Beer

Austin Food & Wine Presents Rock Your Taco

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The day ends and a different kind of Food Event is about to begin. A culinary world, an incredible global community created to support chefs and their passions and push them to be their best – at all times; Something I wholeheartedly subscribe to. While we are flourishing with the Celebrity Chef nuance, I love to see these chefs dig deep and go back to doing what they love most: COOK.

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Austin, Austin F & W, COLUMNS, DG's Passion, Eat | Drink, Events, Lifestyle, Limited Edition, Special Event, Wine & Beer

2013 Austin Food & Wine Festival DAY 1

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I have been to Austin twice in my life. This April was the 2nd time. This time I was greeted by familiar faces, succulent food, savory sweets, open minds, exquisite talent, momentous friends, and a slew of food, wine, life, travel, and culture lovers to which degree I have quite possibly never encountered before. Passion and a thirst for life was present more so than I can remember on this wonderful trip to Austin all in the name of the 2013 Austin Food & Wine Festival.

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AM's Drive, California, COLUMNS, Special Event

Coachella 2013

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The dirt rose up around us like steam as we tread through rows of cars with painted windows. The afternoon sun was beating down on our exposed shoulders, but an occasional breeze helped to soothe them from the 97 degree heat, carrying the distant scent of coconut sunscreen, hot grass, and smoke. The mile walk from the day parking lot to the front gates was punctuated by three security checkpoints, passing by fenced off car-camping sites and shuttle bus drop off areas. We had to empty out our water bottles prior to entering, but were informed of the multiple free water refill stations located throughout the grounds, as well as new bottles only costing $2. Also, if you brought 10 empty water bottles to the recycling booth, they would give you a new, cold bottle for free.

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COLUMNS, Interviews, Limited Edition, Music

Shana Halligan

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Imagine a voice that stirs the very essence of song, incites so much emotion with a single note, embodies strength, sensuality, and sweetness, and writes some of the most exquisite songs I’ve ever heard. That is Shana Halligan. Introduced to her music 4 years ago, the minute I heard her I knew she was someone entirely authentic.

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Arts | Culture, ATOD Radio, COLUMNS, DG's Passion, Lifestyle, Limited Edition

A Taste of Dawn RADIO April 10th

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Today’s Show was about Living Life Happily and Expressive: The Theatre, Comedy, Food + Wine, Travel, and Humanitarians that change the world through the Arts.

I had a week that invigorated so many parts of my soul. Music, Broadway, passion, life, food, wine, good company, and the reminder of everything in life that matters so much to me. Above all – I lived. We need to all just envelop the things surrounding us. Regardless of how fleeting or momentary, just enjoy those tiny inescapable moments before they vanish. Live every moment because you – You are – NOW.

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Ali's Fashion, COLUMNS, Fashion | Health, TrendsTues

Gwen Stefani Style Icon

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More than just a girl, Gwen Stefani has blossomed from her humble beginnings as the lead vocalist in Ska band No Doubt playing greasy garage shows on the weekends to a worldwide fashion icon. After recording a solo album, winning World’s Best-Selling New Female Artist in 2005, debuting her own clothing line and starting a family of four, she still has time to live the platinum blonde life.

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Arts | Culture, Culture, Eat | Drink, ENTERTAINMENT, Lifestyle, Los Angeles, Southern CA, Wine & Beer

A Night of Magic and Wine with David Minkin

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David enters the room and situates himself no more than 2 feet away from the audience. He is up close and personal and without a beat, greets us all in his relaxed and warm way and voila! The magic begins. Literally. It muse be said – again – that I’m a cynic and an over-thinker. I pride myself on wanting to know how everything works.

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California, Culture, Los Angeles, Music | Theatre, Theatre

Lovesick

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The play moves with a transcendence of space and time, with this out-of-the-world reproach, dialogue that leaves your soul craving more – like words dripping off of a juicy apple smothered in honey, and a story that makes you feel things you weren’t expecting to feel – your heart, your soul, your mind is running right along with every scene.

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