Wednesday, November 17, 2010

November 2010: Marina del Rey FEATURED LOCAL

For our second edition of the latest Featured Local blog series, we’re re-introducing you to one of the Marina’s most beloved faces.

Remember: Each month, we feature a Marina del Rey local to give you a peek into the Marina’s many diverse, one-of-a-kind personalities.  We hope to cover everyone from sea-faring captains and seasoned executive chefs to your everyday Joes and Janes who live, work and play in Marina del Rey and the surrounding areas.  If you have someone you’d like us to consider featuring here, please drop us a note! And, as always, feel free to let us know if this blog post gives you warm fuzzies about the wonderful locals of Marina del Rey!



 

Name: Maya Diamond

Occupation: Event Sales Manager at Café del Rey

Years in the Marina: Almost two years!

If I could do one job for the rest of my life… it would be: An astronaut! Okay, realistically, I love my job. The marina is truly a hidden gem of Los Angeles. It’s such an ideal place to hold an event because of its gorgeous views, year-round activities and easy accessibility. I love that my job is to sell events in a place that even I think of as paradise.

You have 24 hours to live.  What are you going to do?: Spend a perfect day in the marina.  Brunch at Café del Rey, featuring all-you-can-drink mimosas and sparkling wine and a jazz trio, followed by a stroll through Chace Park, then a sunset cruise, ending with a ride on the water taxi to eat dinner at Jer-ne.  That would be a perfect day!

You have one last meal.  What’s it gonna be?: The truffle pizza with caramelized onion, black truffle cream and reggiano at Café del Rey!

What things should we add to our growing bucket list for Marina del Rey?:  Take a sailing lesson.  Participate in the Holiday Boat Parade.  Go on the Friday night Blues Cruise from Hornblower Cruises & Events.  See a concert/movie at Chace Park. 

That last part sounds a bit biased ;-) But definitely not untrue, residents and visitors alike love Café del Rey for its gorgeous waterfront views and fine dining choices!  The holidays are coming up…are there any specials for residents and visitors to take advantage of?:  Definitely!  We will be open Thanksgiving day, as well as Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve.  On Thanksgiving, we are offering a three-course meal (prix fixe), with some great selections for everyone in the family, from crispy calamari and Kumamoto oysters, to venison tenderloin, pumpkin brulee, donuts and hot chocolate. And, to add to the growing list of reasons to visit, we recently welcomed a new executive chef, Daniel Roberts!

That’s all work talk.  Let’s talk about what you do outside of work!:  When I’m not enjoying my work in the marina, I enjoy being outdoors and experiencing new things.  I enjoy hiking in the Santa Monica Mountains and biking down to Hermosa Beach.

You work at a restaurant, so is it safe to assume you’re a foodie, too?: I am a huge foodie and am constantly trying all the new restaurants around town. 

 
One last question… If you had to describe Marina del Rey in less than 10 words, you would describe it as: a truly special hidden gem of Los Angeles



As you can see…it’s Maya who’s the truly special hidden gem of the Marina – and she’ll plan the event of your lifetime! Drop by and say hello to Maya at Café del Rey located at 4451 Admiralty Way, Marina del Rey, CA, 90292. Here’s a little tip: Even their cocktails are handmade to reflect what’s in season. Check out the menu when you pop in for a drink by their oversized fireplace, and take a look at what the chef has picked up at this week’s farmer’s market.

Friday, November 12, 2010

WINNERS! Hit Me With Your Best Shot - Digital Photo Hunt

WINNERS ANNOUNCED from our first Marina del Rey “Hit Me with Your Best Shot” Digital Photo Hunt. 

Thank you to everyone who participated in the contest. Congratulations to all of our winners and many thanks to our local businesses and organizations that donated some very cool prizes (http://ow.ly/38VTa).  Without further ado, here are the WINNERS!

Grand Prize: Nicole Rollolazo Dawson
First Prize: Christine Pierce  
Second Prize: Stephanie Watt 



Grand Prize: Susanne Schwager  
First Prize: Garick Chan  
Second Prize: Trevor Dellecave 



Grand Prize: Nathan Knarreborg
First Prize: Vishal Jhaveri
Second Prize: Christina Schiermann