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Vegas Begs for Blackberry; Jackie Aina from FORVR Mood Partners with Crown Royal Blackberry Flavored Whisky

Crown Royal and FORVR Mood Co-Founder, Jackie Aina, Partner to Release Limited-Edition Candle Inspired by Popular New Flavor Crown Royal Blackberry Flavored Whisky

Jackie Aina, from FORVR Mood, Partners with Crown Royal Blackberry Flavored Whisky

With bottles flying off the shelves nationwide, Crown Royal Blackberry Flavored Whisky has proven to be one of the brand’s most popular flavor offerings.


 

FlavRReport.com on YouTube

FlavRReport.com on YouTube


This is an innovative whisky blend deserving of a partner just as creative to kick off the summer. Jackie Aina, a well-respected creator and entrepreneur, whose brand, FORVR Mood, garnered a wait list of over 45,000 customers prior to its launch in 2020, was a natural choice for the brand.

Aina’s love for the new flavor inspired her curation of the limited-edition Crown Royal Blackberry x FORVR Mood candle.

Appropriately titled, Berry On Top, this delicious scent is crafted with notes of blackberry, complemented with whisky accord and vanilla.


 


Limited quantities of the candle will be available online at Forvrmood.com *while supplies last

This exclusive new scent will be unveiled at the Crown Royal Blackberry Stand!

The Crown Royal Blackberry Stand is an adult twist on your traditional lemonade stand , where creativity meets cocktails and spotlights business owners, via the collaboration with Jackie Aina and FORVR Mood.

With the entrepreneurial spirit of a traditional lemonade stand at its core, the Crown Royal Blackberry Stand will provide a platform for rising founders via the brand’s partnership with 501(c)(3) organization, Black Girl Ventures Foundation.

Attendees that visit the stand are invited to sip signature cocktails and shop the exclusive Berry on Top candle as they learn more about Crown Royal charity partner Black Girl Ventures Foundation.

Black Girl Ventures Foundation is an IRS § 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to providing underrepresented founders with access to community, capital, and capacity building to meet business milestones that lead to economic advancement through entrepreneurship.

Crown Royal’s partnership with FORVR Mood and Jackie Aina is rooted in the support of Black Girl Ventures Foundation.

To further their efforts, Crown Royal will be donating $50,000 to Black Girl Ventures Foundation from the Crown Royal Generosity Fund*, where half of the donation will support the BGV Pitch Program.

More information on the organization’s mission, programming, and ways to support the Black Girl Ventures community will be found at The Crown Royal Blackberry Stand.

“Our new Blackberry Flavored Whisky is one of our most flavorful yet!”

Hadley Schafer

VP of Crown Royal

“…It was important that we found the perfect partner to not only celebrate this exciting new release but also one whose passion for creativity and entrepreneurship aligned with our vision for The Crown Royal Blackberry Stand,” said Hadley Schafer, VP of Crown Royal. “This collaboration with Jackie Aina and FORVR Mood not only highlights this flavor profile in such a fun and unexpected way but also makes a meaningful impact by supporting the next generation of 21+ business owners.”

For more information about The Crown Royal Blackberry Stand featuring Crown Blackberry x FORVR Mood By Jackie Aina in Los Angeles on June 14th and 15th, and more juicy Crown Royal news visit @crownroyal on Instagram to sign up for the Crown Royal newsletter.

“Finding new ways to flex my creativity to craft something that I know my supporters will love is exciting for me,”

Jackie Aina

“So, when I was approached by Crown Royal for this partnership it was a no-brainer for me, especially after seeing all the hype for their new Blackberry Flavored Whisky and learning they’re supporting a cause close to my heart with Black Girl Ventures. I’m excited to partner with a brand that shares my values!”

Crown Royal Blackberry Whisky has an ABV of 35% and is available nationwide for a limited time at a suggested retail price of $26.99 for a 750mL bottle.

*Crown Royal Generosity Fund is a donor-advised fund, administered by Fairfield County’s Community Foundation, a nonprofit entity organized under IRC §501c3.

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Thanksgiving in Las Vegas: the perfect stuffing bread DOES exist – and it’s… [Recipe Here]

This Thanksgiving, the perfect stuffing bread DOES exist – and it’s brioche.  As in St Pierre Brioche Thanksgiving Stuffing

No Thanksgiving spread is complete without a hearty stuffing. While add-ins are a matter of preference, choosing the right bread is crucial. One underrated choice is eggy, rich brioche – and with St Pierre Bakery, you don’t need to go to France to get it.

Thanks to its butter and egg content, St Pierre’s Brioche Loaf provides the perfect balance of crisp toastiness while remaining soft and creamy inside, while its lightly sweet flavor adds a decadent quality that can still lean savory. Attached below is an approachable recipe for stuffing allowing for all the craveable crunch for the whole family with minimal effort required.

St Pierre Brioche Thanksgiving Stuffing

By @BrandiMilloy

Ingredients

1 loaf St. Pierre Brioche Bread
1/2 cup unsalted butter

1 medium onion, diced

3/4 cup celery, diced

3/4 cup carrots, diced

1 cup mushrooms, diced

2 large eggs

1 tbsp. fresh rosemary, chopped

3 sprigs fresh thyme, just the leaves

1 tbsp. fresh sage, chopped

1 small apple (granny smith works well), peeled and diced

Salt and pepper

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Cut brioche bread into 1” cubes and bake for about 10-15 minutes until toasted.

  2. Meanwhile, into a pot over medium high heat add butter until melted. Add onion, celery and carrots and cook until everything starts to soften, about 7 minutes.  Add mushrooms and cook for 2 minutes longer.  Remove from heat and set aside.

  3. Into a bowl whisk together the eggs, herbs, apples, mushrooms, and salt and pepper. Add your cooked vegetables and mix to combine.

  4. Pour mixture on top of toasted bread and stir to combine. Bake stuffing for about 45 minutes. If your stuffing starts to get too brown, cover until finished baking. Enjoy!

As America’s favorite brioche brand, St Pierre’s products are widely available via grocery stores nationwide as well as Walmart.

Vegas Crowds Find New Flavor with Dancing Wines from Cynthia Russell, Lauren Russell

Vegas Crowds Searching for New Flavor Find it with Dancing Wines from Cynthia Russell, Lauren Russell in Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma County.

The team at Dancing Wines is developing a collection of sensory brands that celebrate life through taste, touch and aroma – inspiring you to find your inner dance and show the world what truly moves you.

Dancing Wines’ red wine trio includes Old Vine, Duo and Estate — three limited-release wines made from hand-picked grapes that showcase the full breadth of the Dancing estate.

Lauren Russell (L) and Cynthia Russell (R) from Dancing Wines

Lauren Russell (L) and Cynthia Russell (R) from Dancing Wines Credit: https://instagram.com/DancingSonoma

Today’s conversation with the dynamic Mother / Daughter team Cynthia and Lauren Russell from Dancing Wines ha been edited for length and clarity.

For the full, un-edited conversation, visit our YouTube channel here.

Joe Winger: What is the most important message you’d like to share today?

Lauren Russell: I think one of them is dancing is art and art is life.

Another is love needs no explanation. I think really the thread between those is we’re trying to create a product and an experience that brings people together and invites them to find their inner dance, which is something we say a lot. 

So we want to encourage people to find their unique rhythms. And wine is also really lovely because it is a vehicle that brings people together to enjoy a moment and diverse people together.

I think my Mom [Cynthia] can speak to this as well, but one of the things we thought about when first exploring wine was just how daunting the whole atmosphere is around the consumption of it and the buying and using all the right adjectives.

Especially for my generation I feel like there’s a bit of a learning curve. So I think one thing we really want people to take away from the brand is just like, just enjoy it. Love needs no explanation and you can’t drink wine when your mouth is full of adjectives. We’ve created a great wine just for you to be able to enjoy and to describe however you want and enjoy whenever you want.

DancingWines

Source: WeAreDancing.com

Cynthia: Yeah, I think the measures we created we have a beautiful heritage property that the soil and the climate create this great wine. And me being of an older generation where wine was very intimidating, even though I know a lot about it.

And drinking it for a very long time. I’ve lived in France. I’ve lived in California. It’s still when you order in a restaurant, you’re scared. Do I know enough? I’m going to be embarrassed. Is this the right pairing? And what the good news is that wine making in the world has become so sophisticated that if you are buying wine from a place that is special, including all.

Sonoma or France or Italy, the wines are good, they’re really good and all you have to do is be comfortable with yourself and enjoying it. And so that’s what we’re trying to do is take a product that has thousands of years of history as being a part of our culture and make you comfortable with just having fun, enjoying it and celebrating what wine can do to bring people together.

DancingWinesSonoma

Source: WeAreDancing.com

Joe Winger: You have a really unique story that you restored a vineyard up in Dry Creek.  Can you talk about experience and what you learned from the restoration?

Cynthia: We lucked out.  It was a Covid purchase. We spent a lot of time as a family together in very small confined spaces drinking a lot of wine. 

We [thought we] might end up needing a place where we have more outdoor space and can be together. So we bought this property more as a farm and then discovered that it was a unique part of the world. 

Zinfandel grapes have been growing in this small region for over 150 years.

It was called America’s grape back in the time I think [the] 1850s. Okay, we have these vineyards. They’re really old. 

There was one owner at this property for 60 years, an older Italian gentleman. And a lot of the area is multi generation, fourth generation Italian families who came over and cultivated this grape.

We never intended to make wine and yet we were scared to let this history and heritage die. 

So we took classes and tried to figure out, can we make wine?

It’d be such a shame to let this history go in this special place. 

We made a great discovery, which was that you don’t have to be an expert on wine. You just have to have great soil and a great climate. 

Then we launched from there. 

DancingWinesSonoma

Source: WeAreDancing.com

Lauren:  We’re always towing the line between the respective tradition and traditional winemaking and the land and all of the old vines and creating something new. 

She [Mom, Cynthia] always brings a lens of respect for the older generation and ways of life and what wine has meant to her throughout her life.

I’m always pushing the other direction. We always land somewhere in the middle. 

You’ll see that in the brands, it has really playful branding and packaging.  But, our winemaking is a bit more traditional. We’re a sustainable vineyard but we have old vines and we respect what the land has to offer and what it’s been offering in that region for a long time.

It creates a better product and brand for us because we get to cater to both audiences.

DancingWinesSonoma

Credit: https://instagram.com/DancingSonoma

Joe Winger: You have a collection of sensory brands.  Can you talk about what that collection is, what inspired the idea, and what we should be looking for?

Lauren:  All of the products have been and will be inspired by the backdrop of the vineyard. 

When we talk about wine, we talk about this kind of multi sensory experience, whether that’s aroma or where you’re having it, who you’re enjoying it with.

We came into wine knowing that it was going to be not just about taste or smell, but about the holistic experience of what wine could do for someone. 

Sort of the thread between all of our products are taste, touch and smell. Again, like finding your inner dance and allowing you to express your personality.

We’re launching a trio of fragrances, which are loosely inspired by the terroir and the vineyard.

Cynthia: We have a fresh perspective on Sonoma. Every time we arrive, we have this nose full of these incredible senses:, the smell of moss, crushed grapes, barrel, fire and oak. 

Yeah. So we’re like, wow. Every time we arrive, we’re like, wow, this is really cool.

This is so distinct and unique and just elevates your experience of being there. 

We are going to bring more experiences to the brand when we can, like having an artist in residence, creating visually beautiful contributions.

We have an art collection there that inspired us to bring art to the brand. It’s largely from a diverse group of artists from the West Coast who are very colorful and young and also push boundaries. So our idea with the senses is like we’re trying to This is a brand that you enter into our world and you get to experience people and life in a way that’s very unique and bold and

DancingWinesSonoma

Credit: https://instagram.com/DancingSonoma

Joe Winger: What are both of your backgrounds outside of wine?

Lauren: I was raised in Connecticut and went to Dartmouth for undergrad, was a creative non-fiction writer, so always had that storytelling bent. 

After school, I worked at a lot of businesses in marketing.  Uber Eats, Refinery29, right before the pandemic, I worked for AB and Bev that was my first kind of foray into alcohol. 

Then during COVID, I got my MBA at Columbia.  We all got this massive reset of our priorities.  I come from an entrepreneurial family.  This opportunity arose 

Cynthia: We’re a family who really believes in experiences. I have dabbled in many different areas.  I went to Scripps college. I actually was a dance major until I was not. I became an international relations major. I lived in France for a while. Then moved to New York City and worked for JP Morgan trading stock, money market securities. 

I didn’t find that was my passion, so I went to Harvard Business School and I got a master’s in business. Then I worked for American Express where I started a weekend travel program. It was a little startup within the travel segment of American Express. I got my “sea legs” of starting a business.

I quit that business because I had kids, then I started my own mail order company then I decided again, that maybe I needed a little more education.

I went back and got a doctorate at Columbia in organizational leadership.

I have a consulting firm on the side where I consult leaders and organizations about how to handle complex challenges in a complex world. 

So my daughter [Lauren] gets through business school and we decide to marry all these wonderful experiences together and create something really new and unique.

DancingWinesSonoma

Credit: https://instagram.com/DancingSonoma

Joe Winger: Let’s talk about your wines.

Lauren: We launched with our rosé which is really beautiful. It’s an intentional rosé. From our Primitivo grapes and we harvested them early and intentionally for rosé.

It has this really beautiful distinct, watermelon, almost Jolly Rancher aroma, and it’s really playful and full, but also dry. And it’s been a really big hit so that was a fun debut for us. 

We just launched our trio of reds, and what makes them unique goes into the story about the restoration of the vineyard.

We’re still learning our land and learning from it. 

We chose to harvest from different blocks and treat the wines in a similar fashion and bottle them separately to see what personalities they expressed. 

One is the Old Vine Zinfandel, which is from our oldest head trained vines which is the deepest, moodiest, richest wine. It’s really lovely.

DancingWinesSonoma

Credit: https://instagram.com/DancingSonoma

Then we have an estate wine, which is actually from Primitivo, a different word for Zinfandel. That one is a bit lighter. 

Then we have a third, a duo which is a blend of both. And so it’s really helped us to understand. And they are quite different.

They’re obviously all Zinfandels in their expressions, but they’re all quite different. 

People say Zinfandel is like a map of the land and I think that’s really true here. Which is super cool. 

But we have two forthcoming sparkling wines because I think it really speaks to our ethos about being playful and to my generation.

Cynthia: It’s really fun for us because being on the East coast, Zinfandel is a really unknown varietal and we think it’s underrated. Californians know it’s been around for a long time. It has a lot of possibilities with food. And so what we’re trying to do is bring to light this really good wine and do it in a slightly different way.

We pick ours earlier, trying to have it be less jammy, juicy, heavy; lighter, less alcoholic than some of the more traditional Zinfandels that are on our street. 

That’s really trying to address the changes consumer changes.

Our wines are chillable, super easy to eat with most any food, especially ethnic food, spicy food.

2022 was our first vintage. 2023 is already in barrels and we’ll be bottling that in probably in March. But it’s going to be a little different because the climate was different that year.

The rosé was just a fluke. Our winemaker wanted to try a Zinfandel rosé. Most people love it. It’s so distinct and unique.

Our 24 Rosé will come out in March.  The reds will come out in the early summer. We’re going to bottle the sparkling in January, but that will be at least a year until you’ll see that. The  pétillant naturel will probably be launching at about the same time as the rosé

DancingWinesSonoma

Credit: https://instagram.com/DancingSonoma

Lauren: What’s fun about having both an early release sparkling and a [second, additional] later release [sparkling wine] one is going to be lighter, more effervescent, maybe geared towards the younger generation and the other will have that toastier champagne flavor.

Joe Winger: Do you have a favorite wine and food pairing?

Lauren: This one’s so hard. Rosé and oysters or any seafood is just awesome. Sparkling wine and a burger is one of my favorites.

In terms of red, when I think of Zinfandel, it’s Thanksgiving foods.  It speaks to the hominess in our story. Bringing everyone around the table. Kind of experiential pairing.

Cynthia: Yeah, that resonates with me. 

We have a lot of ethnic food, so it holds up really well to spice, to sweet and sour, salty and sweet. So it’s great with Indian food, Mexican food. Apples in your pork chops. 

A burgundy is usually killed instantly by those kinds of flavors. It’s too fragile.

[Ours] is not fragile, but it still has so many nice aromas and flavors to enhance whatever you’re eating.

Lauren:  It’s great with pizza. Pizza and a nice glass of Zinfandel

DancingWinesSonoma

Source: WeAreDancing.com

Joe Winger: What’s something magical about Sonoma that you learned through this journey?

Lauren: True of both Zinfandel and Sonoma it always has this underdog energy to Napa. One of the hidden gems, we wake up really early and drive to the Redwood forest to watch the sun rise through the trees.

We eat a burrito because we have terrible burritos in New York.

There’s an amazing food community, 3 Michelin star restaurant, chefs, farm to table.

Cynthia: The distinct part of Sonoma is how important nature is to everyone there. It’s not just about wine. It’s incredible nature.

We both traveled a lot, lived in a lot of places. I’ve never seen such natural beauty in such a small area.

Lauren:  That’s what the idea of our products is too.  We have to bring people here in some way, differently than just having them taste the wine.

So as many dimensions as we can bring people into that realm to experience [00:29:00] that it’s like definitely the dream.

Joe Winger: Whether it’s social media, website, or other ways, what are the best ways for our audience to find and follow Dancing Wine?

Lauren: We have our website, which is wearedancing.comWe also are on Instagram, which is at DancingSonoma

American Film Market 2024 in Vegas: AGC’s Stuart Ford & Anton’s Sébastien Raybaud to Take Stage

American Film Market 2024 in Vegas: AGC’s Stuart Ford & Anton’s Sébastien Raybaud to Take Stage

The American Film Market® (AFM®) is set to raise the curtain on its 45th edition and first-ever show in Las Vegas next week with Exhibition space sold out and Buyer and Attendee registrations running strong with participants confirmed from 80 countries.
AFM24 will run over six days, Nov. 5 – 10, 2024 at Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas. The move to Las Vegas was announced by the Independent Film & Television Alliance® (IFTA®) and its Board of Directors in March 2024.
This year, AFM will host Market activities in a single location at Palms, including Exhibit Space, 200+ AFM Screenings at the Palms’ Brenden Theatres, and The AFM Sessions.
Physical Exhibition space for Market sold out last month and AFM will open with 286 sales, production, and distribution companies, along with international trade organizations, film commissions, and national umbrella stands from 34 countries. Exhibitors include A24, AGC Studios, Altitude Film Sales, Anton, Arclight Films, Bankside Films, Beta Cinema, Black Bear Pictures, Blue Fox Entertainment, Capstone Global, Charades, CJ ENM, Cornerstone, Embankment Films Limited, FILMAX, Film Mode Entertainment, FilmNation, Gaumont, GOODFELLAS/Wild Bunch International, Gravitas Ventures, HanWay Films, Lakeshore, Lionsgate, Mister Smith, NEON, Odin’s Eye Entertainment, Pathé Films, STUDIOCANAL, , Toei Company, Trust Nordisk, The Veterans, Voltage Pictures, WME Independent, and XYZ Films, among many others.
Countries, including China, France, Germany, Italy, Romania and Thailand, will host dedicated Umbrella Stands showcasing national companies and producers. Exhibitor Offices and Meeting tables will be located in AFM’s designated hub, Palms’ Fantasy Tower floors 8-17, 25, and 26 as well as in Nove. In addition, LocationEXPO at AFM will welcome Film Commissions, Government Agencies and Production Service Companies from the U.S. and as far as Barbados, Italy, Japan, the Philippines, Saudi Arabia and Thailand.  LocationEXPO will be located in the Palms Ballroom on the 2nd Floor. View the full Exhibitor List.
Alongside the sales and licensing activity, LocationExpo and Screenings, The AFM Sessions presented by Wrapbook & Film Hawaii, will present 100 leaders, experts and influencers on 30 panels and presentations across two stages. A key attraction of this year’s Sessions, “The Innovators” will welcome two of the independent industry’s most prominent figures, Stuart Ford, Chairman & CEO, AGC Studios, and Sébastien Raybaud, Founder & CEO, Anton, to the stage Thursday morning, November 7 for engaging, one-on-one interviews with Jeremy Kay of Screen International and Scott Roxborough of The Hollywood Reporter, respectively.
Other Session highlights Include: (See the full schedule of AFM Sessions).
  
November 6:
 
From Local to Global: Developing Stories & Content for Worldwide Appeal – Main Stage
  • Matt Brodlie, Upgrade Productions
  • Katie Irwin, WME Independent
  • Matt Mueller, Screen International
  • Peter Van Steemburg, XYZ Films
Finding Gold: Discovering Captivating Narratives and Essential Story Ideas for Your Next Project – Main Stage
  • Miranda Bailey, Cold Iron Pictures
  • Karin Chien, dGenerate Films, Art & Action Productions
  • Phil Goldfine, Producer
  • Michele Kanan, Producer, Writer and Director
  • Michael Musante, Cherokee Film
Producing and Financing Films for Social Impact – Main Stage
  • Mary Aloe, Aloe Entertainment / Partners in Kind
  • Josh Harris, Peachtree Media
  • Jonathon Glucksman, Wondermind
  • Robert Rippberger, SIE Society
  • Jarnell Stokes, Stoked Bros. Media
Working with SAG-AFTRA as an Independent – View Stage
  • Olga Rodriguez-Aguirre, SAG-AFTRA

November 7
 
Finance I – Independent Film Financing in Today’s Financial Landscape – Main Stage
  • Jill Goldsmith, Deadline
  • Jon Gosier, Film Hedge
  • George Hamilton, Protagonist Pictures
  • Paula Paizes, Pressman Films
  • Miguel Palos, AGC Studio
Confronting Fear – Transcending, Challenging & Elevating the Horror Genre – Main Stage
  • Gregory Chambet, WTFILMS
  • Emily Gotto, Shudder
  • Tom Malloy, Glass House Distribution
  • Bob Portal, AMP
  • Priscilla Ross Smith, The Coven
November 8
Finance II: How to Choose a Location to Maximize Your Budget – Main Stage
  • Ryan Broussard, Wrapbook
  • Jeffery Greenstein, A Higher Standard
  • Andi Isaacs, University of Nevada-Las Vegas, Formerly Summit Entertainment
  • Simon Williams, Palisades Park Pictures
 
Black Culture at the Epicenter of Hollywood – View Stage
  • Kyle Bowser, NAACP Hollywood Bureau
Casting for Low-Budget Films – View Stage
  • Monica Kelly, CSA, Treadwell / Kelly Casting
  • Jennifer K.M. Treadwell, CSA, Treadwell / Kelly Casting
The Untold Realities of Global Film Sales: What’s Really Shaping Today’s Market?
  • Clay Epstein, Film Mode Entertainment
  • Tiffany Boyle, Ramo Law PC
  • Mimi Steinbauer, Radiant Films International
  • Brian O’Shea, The Exchange
November 9
AFM Pitch Conference: Mastering the Art of Pitching & Live Pitches – Main Stage
  • Cassian Elwes, Elevated
  • Lee Jessup, leejessup.com
  • Lorelle Lynch, AGC Studios
Killing It at the Box Office: How Cineverse’s Horror Sensation Won Opening Weekend – Main Stage
  • Chris McGurk, Cineverse
  • Lauren McCarthy, Cineverse
  • Thomas K Arnold, Media Play News
Maximizing Impact: Crafting Powerful Films with Limited Budgets – Main Stage
  • Paul Bales, The Asylum
  • Jeff Deverett, Producer
  • Efuru Flowers, Flourishing Films
  • Chris Gore, Film Threat
  • Max Woertendyke, Noble Gas Media
For More Information on AFM and to Register, visit: americanfilmmarket.com.
About the American Film Market® (AFM®)
The AFM is where the global film and television business comes to life every November. The only independently produced international sales market, hundreds of finance, production, sales and distribution companies and thousands of professionals from every segment of the industry, convene at AFM for six days of discovery, development, deal making, networking, marketplace discussions and world-class conferences. The AFM is produced by the Independent Film & Television Alliance® (IFTA®) and serves as the annual fundraiser for the association.
About the Independent Film & Television Alliance® (IFTA®)
IFTA is the global trade association for independent film and television production, finance, distribution, and sales companies. The organization represents the independent sector before governments and international bodies and provides significant entertainment industry services to independent companies around the world.

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