Holly Bratten Photo by Marshall SmithHolly Bratten stunned the judges at the Southern California Fair at the Perris Fairgrounds with her recipes and submissions in the food and baked goods categories. Bratten, who has submitted every year since 1992 at the SoCal Fair (previously the Farmer’s Fair), took home Best of Show for her pickled onions, 25 1st place awards, nine 2nd place awards, and four 3rd place awards. She also took one 4th and one 5th place award.
That means out of 45 entries, Bratten took honors in 44, a remarkable success by any standard. “I’ve always enjoyed it [submitting to fairs], “but I’m retiring,” said Bratten. “From now on I’ll just cook for my family.” In addition to the SoCal Fair, Bratten submitted six times to the Indio Fair and twice to the Del Mar Fair. With her SoCal Fair submissions, Bratten covered the table with cheesecakes, cookies, brownies, jams, and salsas. Bravo!
The Idyllwild International Festival of Cinema (IIFC) enters year seven with over 300 films in submission. “Last year we had 160,” said festival founder and director Stephen Savage. “This year is almost double from last year. “Our reputation for quality independent films is growing. The Hollywood Reporter article naming the festival one of the ‘new…
“From ghoulies and ghosties And long-leggedy beasties And things that go bump in the night, Good Lord, deliver us!” (Traditional Scottish prayer) The word “Halloween” dates from around 1745 and comes from a Scottish term for the evening before the Christian celebration of All Hallows Day, a time in the year dedicated to remembering the…
Just back from Cordova, Alaska, Marshall Hawkins, the music director for the 21st-annual Jazz in Pines, is relaxed and ready. While he played some bluegrass, Hawkins was still ambassador for the true American music genre — jazz. And the jazz festival will be a showcase for this musical genre, and Hawkins, his friends and his…
Q. Is Scottish poetry fashionable? -Kenzie, Rancho Mirage A. Yes. I recommend verse by Hamish MacDhughaill. He is Scotland’s greatest, living, one-armed poet. Q. Recently, I heard on NPR that cargo shorts are clunky, unsleek and now out of style. Is this true? -Andy, Desert Hot Springs A. Yes, that most definitely is true. And…
This year marks the 120th anniversary of probably the most famous Christmas newspaper editorial of all time. It was written by Francis P. Church in response to a letter from 8-year-old Virginia O’Hanlon. It was published on Sept. 21, 1897, in the New York Sun. We reprint it each year for the enjoyment of our…