On this week's program host Phil Tower welcomes Dawn Baker, Festival Manager for the 16th Annual Grand Rapids International Wine, Beer & Food Festival. The Grand RapidsThe International Wine, Beer & Food Festival is set for November 16-18 at DeVos Place. Dawn told us that the annual kick-off to the holiday season begins on Thursday, November 16 with a special VIP Preview Night. The $150 VIP Preview Ticket includes specialties from small plate restaurants for a strolling dinner experience; a wine tasting session, distilled spirit tasting session, and beer tasting session; a demonstration on the Meijer Food
Stage, a Meet the Maker presentation and “best of the best” samples from the 100 select new releases, special vintage, and exclusive Festival beverages hand-selected by sommeliers, restauranteurs, and other industry leaders that you don’t want to miss. A limited number of VIP Preview Plus tickets are available for $225 and include the addition of a special one-hour multi-course meal and beverage PAIRING from either Four Rose’s Cafe,
One.Twenty.Three, or Monsoon Vietnamese Cuisine (Festival Pairing Restaurants).
Online: GRWineFestival.com

In part two of the program, Phil speaks with Nina Wolpe and Gordon Hideaki Nagai, co-authors of the book, “TWO FACES” from MISSION POINT PRESS. Their book tells the story of a real-life friendship that stayed strong through many struggles and challenges during the time …bullying and prejudice after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Gordon’s family was forced to move from their California home into a barbed-wire internment camp in Colorado. Gordon and Nina’s friendship remains strong through 78 years of letters and conversations.

Online: Get the book- “TWO FACES”