SoCal Restaurant Show

“Located in a historic train depot in San Juan Capistrano, Trevor’s at the Tracks (Trevor Baird) lives by the motto “Locally Acquired | Globally inspired.” They offer a rotating seasonal menu, plus Chef’s specials that rotate every couple of weeks. They’re open 7 days a week with live music nightly (and all day on the weekends). Never repeating a musician throughout the month, Trevor’s at the Tracks hires over 50 local musicians monthly to play on the patio.”

“With their commitment to sustainability and community, Trevor’s at the Tracks is redefining what it means to eat responsibly—without sacrificing flavor or experience. Trevor’s at the Tracks offers one menu from open to close with operating hours of 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays.”

“In addition to sourcing farm-fresh produce, Trevor’s is fully committed to zero-waste practices. Vegetable scraps and organic waste from the restaurant are returned to the farm in the form of nutrient-rich compost, helping cultivate the next crop and promoting healthy soil. “We believe that being a great restaurant today means more than great food,” adds Trevor “It means accountability—to the environment, to our community, and to the future.””

“Trevor’s at the Tracks has had an on-going green initiative since opening in February 2017. Trevor’s at the Tracks has had an on-going green initiative since opening in February 2017. At the heart of the restaurant has always been to limit the carbon footprint and, in turn, they have given their guests a taste of what sustainable, local dining can be.”

Restaurateur and Farmer Trevor Baird continues as our guest.

Our own Chef Andrew Gruel, the menu-maker behind the full-service Calico Fish House (located in the Sunset Beach area of Huntington Beach) was waylaid with some airline travel glitches. His “Ask the Chef Segment” returns on July 12th after his well-deserved Family vacation.

Meantime Executive Producer Andy Harris fills in on the tipping challenge dilemma. Prods to tip in unexpected places seem to be getting a bit out of hand. Tip lines appear on credit card payment screens and tip jars are everywhere. Should you really tip the counterperson at a gas station convenience store who hands you a wrapped sandwich? When staying at a hotel do tip the hard-working housekeeper in cash on a daily basis. Executive Producer Andy Harris shares his informed thoughts. (Rescheduled from last week.)

“Get ready for an unforgettable night as St. Vincent Meals on Wheels presents the fourth annual “Hollywood Under the Stars” gala fundraiser at the iconic Paramount Studios lot on Saturday, June 21, at 6:30 PM.  Nearly a dozen of Los Angeles' finest chefs and pâtissiers will showcase their exquisite dishes. Guests will kick off the evening with an exclusive VIP Hour in the legendary Paramount Theater, followed by a specially curated tasting menu featuring the talents of the 2025 Culinary Angels. Sip on signature cocktails and dance the night away under the stars to the lively tunes of a 10-piece live band. With Los Angeles County experiencing the fastest-growing population of seniors facing food and housing insecurities, St. Vincent’s work—and the support of their donors—becomes more important than ever.” Executive Director of St. Vincent Meals on Wheels, Veronica Dover, joins us with a preview of “Hollywood Under the Stars.” Also joining us are participating “Angel” restaurants Georgia’s (Nika Shoemaker-Machado) and Wife and the Somm (Chris Lucchese). All the restaurants are generously donating their food for the Benefit.

“The 10th annual Garagiste Festival: Urban Exposure will feature more than 40 wineries from across California, including ten L.A.-based wineries showcasing the depth and breadth of the rising micro-production wine movement in Los Angeles. Among the L.A.-based winemakers showcased at the festival are Adorato Wines, Bivium Wine, Cavaletti Vineyards, Flowers & Cheese Winery, Fuil Wines, Hoi Polloi, Montage Vineyards, Pagter Winery, Pulchella Winery, and Sunland Vintage Winery, The Garagiste Festival: Urban Exposure takes place on June 21st at the Glendale Civic Auditorium.” Garagiste Co-founder, Doug Minnick, is also the winemaker for his own label, Hoi Polloi. We’ll meet him.

“The 10th annual Garagiste Festival: Urban Exposure will feature more than 40 wineries from across California, including ten L.A.-based wineries showcasing the depth and breadth of the rising micro-production wine movement in Los Angeles. Among the L.A.-based winemakers showcased at the festival are Adorato Wines, Bivium Wine, Cavaletti Vineyards, Flowers & Cheese Winery, Fuil Wines, Hoi Polloi, Montage Vineyards, Pagter Winery, Pulchella Winery, and Sunland Vintage Winery, The Garagiste Festival: Urban Exposure takes place on June 21st at the Glendale Civic Auditorium.” Garagiste Co-founder, Doug Minnick, is also the winemaker for his own label, Hoi Polloi. We’ll meet him.


“Susan Lanier-Graham is the publisher and editor-in-chief of Wander With Wonder, an online food, wine, and travel magazine. It was named one of the top four travel journalism websites of 2022 by SATW. Susan is also the managing editor of North Peoria Lifestyle, a print luxury lifestyle publication in Phoenix. Susan has been writing for the past 30 years. She is the author of more than 75 books and hundreds of magazine articles. Along with Wander, Susan’s articles appear in various print and online publications, including AAA publications, WHERE publications, TravelandLeisure.com, Marriott.com, Fairmont’s blogs, Modern Luxury, and more. She is a Certified California Wine Appellation Specialist. Susan lives and works full-time from her fifth-wheel, finding wow moments wherever she visits. You can view Susan’s portfolio online at SusanLanierGraham.com.” Susan shares some hidden dining gems from across the USA. Travel Journalist and Publisher Susan Lanier-Graham is our guest.

“Get ready for an unforgettable night as St. Vincent Meals on Wheels presents the fourth annual “Hollywood Under the Stars” gala fundraiser at the iconic Paramount Studios lot on Saturday, June 21, at 6:30 PM.  Nearly a dozen of Los Angeles' finest chefs and pâtissiers will showcase their exquisite dishes. Guests will kick off the evening with an exclusive VIP Hour in the legendary Paramount Theater, followed by a specially curated tasting menu featuring the talents of the 2025 Culinary Angels. Sip on signature cocktails and dance the night away under the stars to the lively tunes of a 10-piece live band. With Los Angeles County experiencing the fastest-growing population of seniors facing food and housing insecurities, St. Vincent’s work—and the support of their donors—becomes more important than ever.” Executive Director of St. Vincent Meals on Wheels, Veronica Dover, joins us with a preview of “Hollywood Under the Stars.” Also joining us are participating “Angel” restaurants Georgia’s (Nika Shoemaker-Machado) and Wife and the Somm (Chris Lucchese). All the restaurants are generously donating their food for the Benefit.

“The 10th annual Garagiste Festival: Urban Exposure will feature more than 40 wineries from across California, including ten L.A.-based wineries showcasing the depth and breadth of the rising micro-production wine movement in Los Angeles. Among the L.A.-based winemakers showcased at the festival are Adorato Wines, Bivium Wine, Cavaletti Vineyards, Flowers & Cheese Winery, Fuil Wines, Hoi Polloi, Montage Vineyards, Pagter Winery, Pulchella Winery, and Sunland Vintage Winery, The Garagiste Festival: Urban Exposure takes place on June 21st at the Glendale Civic Auditorium.” Garagiste Co-founder, Doug Minnick, is also the winemaker for his own label, Hoi Polloi. We’ll meet him.


“Susan Lanier-Graham is the publisher and editor-in-chief of Wander With Wonder, an online food, wine, and travel magazine. It was named one of the top four travel journalism websites of 2022 by SATW. Susan is also the managing editor of North Peoria Lifestyle, a print luxury lifestyle publication in Phoenix. Susan has been writing for the past 30 years. She is the author of more than 75 books and hundreds of magazine articles. Along with Wander, Susan’s articles appear in various print and online publications, including AAA publications, WHERE publications, TravelandLeisure.com, Marriott.com, Fairmont’s blogs, Modern Luxury, and more. She is a Certified California Wine Appellation Specialist. Susan lives and works full-time from her fifth-wheel, finding wow moments wherever she visits. You can view Susan’s portfolio online at SusanLanierGraham.com.” Susan shares some hidden dining gems from across the USA. Travel Journalist and Publisher Susan Lanier-Graham is our guest.

Our own Chef Andrew Gruel, the menu-maker behind the full-service Calico Fish House (located in the Sunset Beach area of Huntington Beach) was waylaid with some unexpected airline travel glitches. His “Ask the Chef Segment” returns next week

All of this and heaping helpings of extra deliciousness on this week’s not-to-miss show!

“Get ready for an unforgettable night as St. Vincent Meals on Wheels presents the fourth annual “Hollywood Under the Stars” gala fundraiser at the iconic Paramount Studios lot on Saturday, June 21, at 6:30 PM.”

“Nearly a dozen of Los Angeles' finest chefs and pâtissiers will showcase their exquisite dishes. Guests will kick off the evening with an exclusive VIP Hour in the legendary Paramount Theater, followed by a specially curated tasting menu featuring the talents of 2025 Culinary Angels, including Alexander’s Steakhouse, Arth Bar + Kitchen, BOX Chicken, City Club Los Angeles, Georgia’s Restaurant, L’Antica Pizzeria da Michele, and Wife and the Somm. To satisfy your sweet tooth, this year’s 2025 Sweet Angels, including Bertha Mae’s Brownie Co., Lark Cake Shop, and more, will provide delectable desserts that will keep the festivities going. (All of the participating restaurants are generously donating the food for the Benefit to support the cause.) Sip on signature cocktails and dance the night away under the stars to the lively tunes of a 10-piece live band, courtesy of the de Bois All Stars!”

“Veronica Dover, Executive Director of St. Vincent Meals on Wheels, emphasizes the importance of community support: “At St. Vincent Meals on Wheels, we are dedicated to serving the most vulnerable individuals in our community every day. The generosity of our donors, sponsors, and event attendees is what keeps our program strong and allows us to continue delivering not just meals, but also love and compassion to those in need. Together, we can make a significant impact in the lives of our neighbors who rely on us.””

Veronica Dover joins us with a preview of “Hollywood Under the Stars.”

“Get ready for an unforgettable night as St. Vincent Meals on Wheels presents the fourth annual “Hollywood Under the Stars” gala fundraiser at the iconic Paramount Studios lot on Saturday, June 21, at 6:30 PM.” 

“Nearly a dozen of Los Angeles' finest chefs and pâtissiers will showcase their exquisite dishes. Guests will kick off the evening with an exclusive VIP Hour in the legendary Paramount Theater, followed by a specially curated tasting menu featuring the talents of 2025 Culinary Angels, including Alexander’s Steakhouse, Arth Bar + Kitchen, BOX Chicken, City Club Los Angeles, Georgia’s Restaurant, L’Antica Pizzeria da Michele, and Wife and the Somm. To satisfy your sweet tooth, this year’s 2025 Sweet Angels, including Bertha Mae’s Brownie Co., Lark Cake Shop, and more, will provide delectable desserts that will keep the festivities going. (All of the participating restaurants are generously donating the food to support the Benefit.) Sip on signature cocktails and dance the night away under the stars to the lively tunes of a 10-piece live band, courtesy of the de Bois All Stars!”

“With Los Angeles County experiencing the fastest-growing population of seniors facing food and housing insecurities, St. Vincent Meals on Wheels’work—and the support of their donors—becomes more important than ever.” 

Nika Shoemaker-Machado of Georgia’s (Anaheim, Long Beach, Irvine and Eastvale) and Chris Lucchese of Glassell Park’s Wife and the Somm (both participating restaurants) join us to preview their “Hollywood Under the Stars” menus.

“The 10th annual Garagiste Festival: Urban Exposure will feature more than 40 wineries from across California, including ten L.A.-based wineries showcasing the depth and breadth of the rising micro-production wine movement in Los Angeles. Among the L.A.-based winemakers showcased at the festival are Adorato Wines, Bivium Wine, Cavaletti Vineyards, Flowers & Cheese Winery, Fuil Wines, Hoi Polloi, Montage Vineyards, Pagter Winery, Pulchella Winery, and Sunland Vintage Winery. The Garagiste Festival: Urban Exposure takes place on June 21st at the Glendale Civic Auditorium.”

“It’s not widely known, but Los Angeles was once called the ‘City of Vines,’ in fact 200 years ago, this was where American wine began, until prohibition and urban sprawl (and Pierce’s disease) got in the way,” shared Garagiste Festival Co-founder, Doug Minnick. Now, we’re seeing a wine comeback right here in Los Angeles, and though some of the winemakers source grapes from a wide range of California AVAs, including Paso Robles, Santa Barbara County, and Sonoma as well as LA County, there’s a growing number of L.A. based micro-wineries now with tasting rooms in the area that Southern Californians can experience without having to make the drive to wine country.””

“Renowned for its handcrafted wines from professional artisan winemakers who make less than 1,500 cases, its renegade spirit, and rules-breaking ‘no snobs allowed’ ethos, The Garagiste Festival: Urban Exposure is the only festival to provide Angelenos with the opportunity to be first to discover not only the next wave of winemakers in their own backyard, but also many under-the-radar wines, wineries, wine styles, and grape varieties from almost every AVA in the state, from Napa to San Diego, and all regions in between.”

Garagiste Festival Co-founder, Doug Minnick (also a winemaker) is our guest.

“The 10th annual Garagiste Festival: Urban Exposure will feature more than 40 wineries from across California, including ten L.A.-based wineries showcasing the depth and breadth of the rising micro-production wine movement in Los Angeles. Among the L.A.-based winemakers showcased at the festival are Adorato Wines, Bivium Wine, Cavaletti Vineyards, Flowers & Cheese Winery, Fuil Wines, Hoi Polloi, Montage Vineyards, Pagter Winery, Pulchella Winery, and Sunland Vintage Winery. The Garagiste Festival: Urban Exposure takes place on June 21st at the Glendale Civic Auditorium.”

“Renowned for its handcrafted wines from professional artisan winemakers who make less than 1,500 cases, its renegade spirit, and rules-breaking ‘no snobs allowed’ ethos, The Garagiste Festival: Urban Exposure is the only festival to provide Angelenos with the opportunity to be first to discover not only the next wave of winemakers in their own backyard, but also many under-the-radar wines, wineries, wine styles, and grape varieties from almost every AVA in the state, from Napa to San Diego, and all regions in between.”

Garagiste Co-founder, Doug Minnick, is also the winemaker for his own label, Hoi Polloi. “Sourcing fruit from some of the most renowned vineyards in the Central Coast (including Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Grenache and more), Hoi Polloi is one of, if not the only winery to make Syrah’s from several different AVAs in the state, exploring the range of the wonderfully versatile grape, from the cool climate Sta. Rita Hills, to a deep and powerful, dry-farmed version from the Adelaida District of Paso Robles, and more.”

Winemaker Doug continues with us pulling the cork on all that is Hoi Polloi.

“Susan Lanier-Graham is the publisher and editor-in-chief of Wander With Wonder, an online food, wine, and travel magazine. It was named one of the top four travel journalism websites of 2022 by SATW. Susan is also the managing editor of North Peoria Lifestyle, a print luxury lifestyle publication in Phoenix. Susan has been writing for the past 30 years. She is the author of more than 75 books and hundreds of magazine articles.”

“Along with Wander, Susan’s articles appear in various print and online publications, including AAA publications, WHERE publications, TravelandLeisure.com, Marriott.com, Fairmont’s blogs, Modern Luxury, and more. She is a Certified California Wine Appellation Specialist. Susan lives and works full-time from her fifth-wheel, finding wow moments wherever she visits. You can view Susan’s portfolio online at SusanLanierGraham.com.”