Tickets On Sale! 2015 Big Sur Foragers Festival

A Culinary Exploration into the World of Wild Foods

Carmel, CA, August 31, 2014 - A celebration of the amazing array of wild foods will be the centerpiece for a weekend of gourmet food, world-class wine and beer, entertainment, expert-led foraging hikes and a friendly chef competition with celebrity judges.

Save the dates of January 16th through 18th, 2015. Big Sur area restaurants will host the culinary expertise of notable chefs preparing unique fare from rustic to elegant, paired with the region's amazing selection of wines and beers.

The event also serves as a fundraiser for the Big Sur Health Center. The community's non-profit health center will receive the proceeds from the foraging events to support the continued presence of local health care services.

Event schedule to include:

* "Wild Foraging Walk and Talk" at Pfeiffer State Park and through the Big Sur Wilderness, both led by expert foragers. This year we will have 2 walks. One through Pfeiffer State Park (level beginner hiker) and one through the Big Sur Wilderness (level intermediate hiker). The intermediate hike through the Bug Sur Wilderness will be led by Stephen Copeland of Big Sur Guides and Hiking.

* "Fungus Face-Off" on the deck at Ventana Inn & Spa

* A silent auction full of culinary delights, hotel stays, tickets to explore the area, art and so much more will take place during the food and wine sampling. There will be more than 60 items this year!

* Purchase raffle tickets for $5 per ticket of $25 for 6 tickets. Enter to win your choice of 7 culinary delights or hotel packages!  Raffle package values begin at $200 to $700!  Tickets available for purchase at the event.

* Grand Celebrity Chef Dinner at Ventana Inn & Spa. "Foragers Dinner" at the Restaurant at Ventana beginning at 6:00 pm. The multi-course dinner, destined to be a memorable feast paired with an incredible wine selection, costs $175.00 per person.

* "The Forager's Kitchen" A dynamic, not-to-be-missed Sunday afternoon master cooking class on how to prepare your foraged bounty in your own home kitchen, given by a group of the region's best chefs.

Stay tuned for details on our Friday night kick off dinner at The Big Sur Roadhouse and Sunday events!

Tickets are now on sale at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/big-sur-forager-festival-2015-tickets-12739388855.

Follow us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/bigsurforagersfestival for this year’s new event venues or at www.bigsurforagersfestival.org.  The Big Sur Foragers Festival Media Partner is Edible Magazine Monterey Bay.

Big Sur Foragers Festival Media Partner:

About Edible Monterey Bay
Founded in 2011, Edible Monterey Bay produces an award-winning quarterly magazine, a weekly e-newsletter and occasional events that celebrate the local food cultures of Monterey, Santa Cruz and San Benito Counties, season by season. For more information, go to www.ediblemontereybay.com or call (831) 298-7117.

Contact:
Marci Bracco Cain
Chatterbox
Carmel, CA 93923
831-747-7455
http://www.bigsurforagersfestival.org

New book reveals Revolutionary Technique for Conflict Resolution

Shoto-Chi founder Robert J. Norton releases realistic guide to resolving day to day conflicts

Pickering, ON, August 30, 2014 - Drawing perspective from many years of experience in the field of martial arts and conflict management, Shoto-Chi founder and first time author Robert J. Norton bares revolutionary insights about the nature of conflict and its underlying psychology — explored in detail in his debut nonfiction title "Pine-Wave Energy"(published by Trafford Publishing). He introduces dynamic techniques in conflict resolution that have further applications in both personal and professional aspects of living.

In "Pine-Wave Energy," Norton takes a rounded perspective that not only deals with understanding one’s own personal emotions and perception, but also continues through to protecting one’s personal space from a perceived or actual physical threat. It is a tool to understanding perception within conflict, how emotions become the catalyst for conflict, communication styles and personality types. It also shares effective techniques regarding verbal and non-verbal communication inclusive of the systematically developed QSC strategy. Furthermore, it introduces the basics of the dynamic technique known as the Fence. This technique has been developed over many years of studying human behavioral patterns by the Shoto-Chi’s founder. This technique integrates NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming) to assist in the control of one’s personal space.

“The rounded nature of the book offers a fresh perspective on all things about conflict and provides effective strategies for both personal and professional environments,” Norton says. Through his writing, the author hopes to create a positive impact in many lives, both in the individual and organizational levels.

Pine-Wave Energy: A Guide to Conflict Resolution by Robert J. Norton Ph.D.

Trade Paper ISBN: 978-1-49074-022-5
$10.77; 150 pp.
Hard Cover ISBN: 978-1-49074-023-2
$20.77; 150 pp.
E-book ISBN: 978-1-49074-024-9
$3.99; 119 pp.

Release Date: June 29, 2014
Available through: Amazon and Barnes & Noble

“Calmness is paramount and one of the most usable skills in almost all aspects of life. It doesn’t matter if you are entering conflict or climbing a mountain. Calmness helps us to focus. It allows us to digest information and objectively make a decision. When in conflict with another, calmness provides us structure. It provides us the key skill to attempt to resolve. It allows us to think and to evaluate the conflict, the environment, and the potential impact our actions will have on the conflict.”

“I have yet to come across a book that covers so many areas within conflict as this does. The insight into perception and especially calmness helped me tremendously as a teacher.”

“One of the best books I have ever read on the topic of verbal conflict and resolution. I recommend it to everyone, regardless of their occupation or qualifications.” – Chris Roberts

About The Author:
Robert J. Norton is the founder of a unique art specializing in the realistic approach to conflict resolution through the understanding of human behavior. This art is called Shoto-Chi. After founding his art over 24 years ago he has continuously evolved his art by learning more about conflict resolution and especially human behavior within conflict. As result he has now put his extensive research and principles into this book. Rob and his family currently reside in Canada. Visit Rob’s website at shoto-chi.com for more information.

Pine-Wave Energy: A Guide to Conflict Resolution is available through Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Trafford Publishing.

Contact:
Robert J. Norton Ph.D.
Norton Arts
Pickering, ON
416-417-5690
http://www.shoto-chi.com

Decoding the Billing Process: Urgent Care vs. Primary Care Billing

The owner operators of urgent care centers can bill the services they provide in several different ways.

Dallas, Texas, August 30, 2014 - The owner operators of urgent care centers can bill the services they provide in several different ways. The writers at The Ambulatory M&A Advisor take readers through the different options, from billing strictly urgent care to taking on a panel of primary patients.

“The reason why dual urgent care/primary care practices would want to be contracted as primary care—despite lower reimbursement—is that longitudinal and chronic care patients won’t want to pay the higher urgent care co-pay for regular visits with their PCP and also because insurance often won’t reimburse urgent care centers for preventive and routine care like vaccinations and annual wellness physicals—which should be done in a primary care office,” said Alan Ayers, Vice President of Corporate and Market Development at Concentra Urgent Care.

It’s important for owner operators to understand everything that goes into the billing process as each option carries its own set of pros and cons. Rates of reimbursement differ greatly between urgent care and primary care. Furthermore, if a center is to be operated as urgent care, there are certain types of services that it must be able to provide.

To read the full article, you can find it here.

The Ambulatory M&A Advisor is a one-stop information destination for business, legal, and transactional insights on Ambulatory Care Centers. With contributions from industry professionals, as well as on-staff writers, the publication recognizes excellence, presents thought leadership and facilitates connections among the industry's leading deal making experts.

Visit The Ambulatory M&A Advisor at www.ambulatoryadvisor.com.

Contact:
Blayne Rush, MHP, MBA
Ambulatory Alliances, LLC
18181 Midway Rd Ste 200
Dallas, Texas 75287
469-385-7792
publisher@AmbulatoryAdvisor.com
http://www.ambulatoryadvisor.com

Veteran Technology CEO Showcases Video Marketing Technology or Realtors at Agent Recharge Conference

#vidit, The Hashtag Keyword Strategy That Ranks Real Estate YouTube Videos Higher In Google Search

Scottsdale, AZ, August 28, 2014 — #vidit, a revolutionary video marketing technology created by female technology CEO, Jennifer Sultzaberger, provides realtors the ability to have their real estate videos ranked at the top of major search engines.

Sultzaberger developed this powerful strategy that uses hashtag #keywords to get YouTube videos noticed quickly. #vidit guarantees a keyword listing on the first page of Google within 30 days or your money back.

With affordable price points, any real estate agent can justify the #vidit service in their marketing budget for the opportunity for so many home buyers to see their videos. More traffic equals more real estate sales and commissions.

Sultzaberger commented of the technology, Virtual home tour videos are becoming a major tool for real estate agents to market their properties. Our technology can now push these videos to the top of the search engines and get them seen by more buyers. We are excited to offer this technology to real estate agents throughout the U.S.”

On Monday September 22 Ms. Sultzaberger will be presenting her technology to hundreds of Real Estate Agents at Fidelity National Title’s “Agent Recharge” conference at the Hyatt Gainey in Scottsdale, AZ

To learn more about #vidit visit http://DoYouVidit.com or call 480-463-4640

About #vidit:
With one #keyword search, one click and buyers can instantly hear your message. #vidit uses the isolation of a video on YouTube with one #keyword string, leveraging the #hashtag phenomenon to increase response, search queries and social conversation.

The idea behind a hashtag is to get people using the same symbol when talking about a specific topic. The isolated video will also rank at the top of all major search engine results for that #keyword easily found by viewers, listeners and readers.

#vidit will revolutionize #keyword marketing by means of video isolation; optimization and the dominant share of voice the company gains with #vidit’s sticky, social, engaging solution. #vidit can be used for products you sell, services you offer and even contest entries or a special promotion. It’s simple, easy and cost effective for every business’ marketing budget.

About Jennifer Sultzaberger:
Jennifer is known by colleagues and peers as a tech savvy, digital marketing expert with an entrepreneurial spirit. Her background of over 10 years of experience in Digital Marketing and 15 years in traditional marketing, have branded Jennifer as an expert in Search Engine Optimization. Her experience includes other areas such as website design, hosting and management, digital video testimonials, email newsletter and social media campaigns.

Jennifer's entrepreneurial road began in 2006 when she founded Find It Media, a firm specializing in boutique SEO solutions with locations in Harrisburg, Pa., and Phoenix, Ariz. Jennifer also partners with Terry Barnes, Founder of Nusani Corporation developer of EBO, Engine Branding Optimization, patent pending software that helps clients protect their online reputation, manage social media and dominate the search engines using content marketing strategies.

Jennifer’s most recent venture, with an unchallenged “30-Day Money Back Guarantee,” is for the patient pending technology of #vidit. Jennifer used her vast knowledge of Search Engine Optimization (SEO), pay-per-click (PPC) and social media campaigns to develop this latest strategy.

#vidit consists of coupling the power of the “#keyword" and “video” together for isolation on YouTube. Bringing page one Google search results for any size client. Jennifer’s main goal was to provide powerful video solutions while making it affordable for any size business to gain national online exposure no matter the budget. Positioning clients to be found on page one of the SERP is extremely rewarding.

Her creation #vidit, will change how small businesses design their marketing strategies and give them the power to get noticed in the sea of marketing dodge ball.

Jennifer’s experience in working for many industry giants such as Pitney Bowes, AT&T Wireless, Verizon Wireless and The Cobalt Group, an ADP company, has given her the confidence and knowledge to launch #vidit and bring this revolutionary technology to all small businesses in affordable price ranges.

Jennifer is also a professional member of the National Speakers Association has been speaking professionally since 2008, to organizations such as National Automobile Dealers Association, Nichols Campbell Marrow, PA Jewelers Association and PA Professional Realtors Association.

Contact:
Scott Kelly
Black Dog Promotions
9920 S. Rural Rd., Ste 108
Tempe, AZ 85284
480-206-3435
http://DoYouVidit.com

Holman Ranch Vineyards & Winery Estate Wines and Wine Caves Announces The Release of its New Rose and Olive Oil Release

Select Wine samples available for reviews.

Carmel Valley, CA, August 28, 2014 - The estate wines of Holman Ranch include: Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and Rosé of Pinot Noir. Holman Ranch’s 21 acres of vineyards lie between 950 and 1150 feet in elevation. The root stocks and soils are most important in producing excellent fruit from the vineyards.

The surrounding Santa Lucia Mountains are very important to Carmel Valley viticulture. The local hills hold back the marine layer and broad breezes, which is beneficial to producing consistently good fruit. Sedimentary soils, such as, chock rock and Carmel stone also play a major role in wine producing methods by providing good soil drainage. Holman Ranch “stresses the vines” of the fruit with emphasis on reproduction, which in turn, stops growth and ripens fruit. The valley configuration allows for fog in the morning but with it rapidly moving out as the air warms which is great for Pinot Noir grapes. The proximity to the ocean and the elevation are positive characteristics for the vines.

Holman Ranch’s vines are planted 15 degrees off due north which allows for all day sunlight on fruit zone and good protection from breeze. No chemical herbicides or pesticides are used on our fruit and we have received our sustainable and organic certification. Holman Ranch is also 100% estate vineyards and winery.

Holman Ranch’s wines are unfined and crafted to deliver the true varietal of the grape from harvest to table. Purity and passion are key ingredients in the wine-making process, and this is where Holman Ranch truly stands out.

Holman Ranch announces two new releases:

2013 Rosé of Pinot Noir Blushing Bride

Holman Ranch 2013 Blushing Bride truly does embrace the spirit of warm weather wine, all while staying true to the tenets of this classic bistro tradition. A bright nose with a subtle hint of wildflowers jumps out of the glass and its lengthy palate and juicy overtones finish off this all estate selection. Did we mention Absolutely Stunning? Personality, style, beauty and values. Sounds like the beginning of a beautiful relationship.

No. of Acres: 4.73

Year Planted: 2007

No. of Cases: 104

Price: $20

2013 Olive Oil

There will only be 50 cases of Holman Ranch 2013 Olive Oil!  With its dark golden color, light grassy aromas and creamy finish with no after taste, Holman Ranch Olive Oil should be a staple in every kitchen!  Holman Ranch Extra Virgin Olive Oil -- This flavorful, distinctive oil from our Tuscan varietal olive trees was carefully hand-harvested, cold pressed and bottled.  Organic, estate-grown and bottled olive oil from Holman Ranch’s 100 Tuscan varietal olive trees. Size: 375ml (12.6 fl oz) Price: $25

Wine Caves:
The winery at Holman Ranch, located in The Caves, is completely underground in order to take advantage of the natural cooling and humidity held below. The 3000 square foot area maintains a constant temperature of 58°F-60 °F and contains four 750 gallon tanks, four 1200 gallon tanks, and four open top tanks that can hold two tons each. One hundred (100) French oak barrels are maintained year round. Winery operations such as destemming, pressing, fermenting and aging take place within the cool environment of The Caves, while bottling is done directly outside using a mobile bottling line. During harvest, 6 to 8 tons of grapes a day are processed. This may seem low but it is due to the fact that harvesting hours are between 7am to noon on any given day. Grapes are hand picked and loaded into half ton bins, transferred to the winery by tractor and then moved by forklift to the destemmer. White wines take around three weeks to ferment at 50°F and are bottled in February, while red varietals ferment for two weeks and are bottled in early June. All skins, seeds and stems are composted and returned to the fields. Slow months for our winery are June, July and August with the busiest time being September. The winery will produce 3000-5000 cases annually.

Vineyard & Winery Background:
Located at the north eastern tip of the Carmel Valley Appellation, the family-owned Holman Ranch resides approximately 12 miles inland from the Pacific Coast. Immersed in history and romance, the ranch has not only proven to be an excellent growing location for our vineyards but also for the Tuscan varietal olive trees which have flourished under the temperate climate.

Our estate-grown wine varietals are planted on approximately 21 acres of undulating terrain.

The wines produced are unfined and crafted to deliver the true varietal of the grape from harvest to bottle.

The climate and terroir of the appellation has played a critical part in the success of our wines. The warmth of our inland valley coupled with the cooling marine layer has established itself as an ideal microclimate for the production of Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris. Our Burgundy Clones have thrived from the perfect blend of ideal climate, southern exposure and thin rocky soils.

Holman Ranch Tasting Room:
Holman Ranch’s Carmel Valley tasting room offers the perfect backdrop to swirl, sip and savor the different complexities of Holman Ranch Vineyard and Winery wines. There is something for everyone (4 varietals in fact), from the full-bodied Pinot Noirs to the light, fruity flavors of our Pinot Gris and lightly oaked Chardonnay. Holman Ranch also offers estate grown and bottled Olive Oil available for tasting and purchase at the Tasting Room.

The Tasting Room showcases the estate wines of Holman Ranch which includes our Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and Rosé of Pinot Noir. Carefully hand-harvested, cold pressed and bottled, the Extra Virgin Olive Oil produced from the fruits of our Tuscan trees has a delightful spice followed by a buttery finish.

Three tasting flights of three wines each (White, Mountain and Pinot Noir) are available 7 days a week. The Tasting Room also holds a series of cooking demos called In Your Backyard. For more information, call (831) 659-2640.

Olive Grove:
Holman Ranch has its own distinctive olive grove located on a south facing hill of our vineyard. The grove is comprised of 100 trees with multiple cultivars planted. These cultivars consist of 25 Frantoio, 25 Leccino, 10 Mission, 25 Coratina, 5 Pendolino, and 10 Picholine, all of which were originally planted in 2194 in a Carmel Valley orchard then replanted at Holman Ranch in 2007. These mature olive trees allowed us to produce olive oil right away. They are planted in shale for the best production and harvesting results possible. We harvest our fruit by hand in December, which is then milled, producing a superb, high quality product. Although the Olive Grove is not certified organic, we do employ organic practices when farming our trees. Our mill, however, is certified organic. An interesting fact is that olive trees are alternate bearing, which means that one year they may produce 650, 375ml bottles worth of oil, while next year they may produce only 50, 375ml bottles.

Media FAM Trips Available – Airfare Not Included Contact marci@chatterboxpublicrelations.com  for details and dates.

Holman Ranch Background:
Holman Ranch: Where the Past is Always Present. Tucked away in the rolling hills of Carmel Valley, Californian historic Holman Ranch provides a unique and memorable setting for weddings, special events, family gatherings, corporate retreats, and team-building events. With its charming gardens, stunning mountain views and serenity, this private estate affords old-world charm while providing modern day conveniences. This stunning Property includes a fully restored stone hacienda, overnight guest rooms, vineyards, olive grove, horse stables and more. www.holmanranch.com

Contact:
Marci Bracco Cain
Chatterbox
Carmel, CA 93923
831-747-7455
http://www.holmanranch.com

An Owner Operator’s Guide to Private Equity

The world of Private Equity (PE) can be unfamiliar for many owner operators of ASC and other outpatient surgery centers.

Dallas, Texas, August 28, 2014 - The world of Private Equity (PE) can be unfamiliar for many owner operators of ASC and other outpatient surgery centers. The writers at The Ambulatory M&A Advisor have interviewed several experts in PE to give a deeper understanding into the life cycle of a fund and why PE is interested in the outpatient surgery center sector.

Several terms that might come up in discussing PE are also explained and laid out in the article, which can be read in full here. Overall, the world of PE has a great interest in urgent care centers and the like.

“The services provided by urgent care centers will always be in relatively high demand, resulting in stable, predictable cash flow,” said Neil Blair, Managing Director in the Canadian Corporate Finance group at KPMG. “Investing in health services businesses allows private equity firms to achieve diversification in their portfolios, given that health services are only loosely tied to the economy. Lastly, there may be significant value that urgent care centers could provide in regions that are underserved by healthcare providers, or regions where emergency rooms are overburdened.”

The Ambulatory M&A Advisor is a one-stop information destination for business, legal, and transactional insights on Ambulatory Care Centers. With contributions from industry professionals, as well as on-staff writers, the publication recognizes excellence, presents thought leadership and facilitates connections among the industry's leading deal making experts.

You can read this and articles like it at ambulatoryadvisor.com.

Contact:
Blayne Rush, MHP, MBA
Ambulatory Alliances, LLC
18181 Midway Rd Ste 200
Dallas, Texas 75287
469-385-7792
publisher@AmbulatoryAdvisor.com
http://www.ambulatoryadvisor.com

MAX Agency Press Release - August 26, 2014

Max Agency has recently welcomed new talent including future high fashion and runway model Juliana Meloche.

Toronto, ON, August 26, 2014 - Max Agency has recently welcomed new talent including future high fashion and runway model Juliana Meloche. I asked Juliana how she got started in the business and she had this to say, “I was approached by MAX Agency on the street. My family was always telling me to get into Modeling, because of my height and my looks, that it was something I should try. I didn’t really think about it until I was approached by MAX Agency. Honestly I’m really focused on school right now but MAX has made everything really easy.”

After being scouted on the streets of Toronto for Modeling and thinking about the approach for a while, Juliana decided to pursue the opportunity and apply through the MAX Agency website. I asked her what it was like in the beginning and she said “It was fairly easy. I went online with the card thing, the max business card, took a couple pictures of myself, filled out the online modeling application and they called me within a day and I made an appointment.”

What was your first appointment like and who did you meet?

“I met with Kamran first. I decided to get the whole package and we looked at our options and we agreed. The photo shoot was a lot of fun. It was a great experience and the people I was working with were great. It was my first time, they made it super easy and it was a lot of fun for me. Then we came in to look at our photos. The Toronto MAX Agency modeling agent helped us choose the photos for my composite cards. When I got my composite cards I thought they looked really good. The orientation was good and MAX Agency has made everything so easy for me. It was effortless.”

Juliana is a Toronto model but she will also be pursuing Toronto acting and was required to take the free acting class through The Talent Shop. Juliana is pursuing higher education and she had this to say about the introductory acting class, “I liked it. I did. I liked all of the people I worked with. Everyone was really nice. It was great to work with Andy. I learned a lot. I had never pictured myself doing acting before but I thought, it’s something I think I can do. I’m a Toronto model doing an Arts and Science degree thinking about majoring in Ethics, Society and Law.”

MAX Agency is really happy to have Juliana as on of their top models. Juliana definitely has a promising future with a great agency, “I am looking forward to seeing where this whole thing takes me. You guys have been so awesome. You’ve been great. Everyone I’ve worked with has been great.”

MAX Agency’s Bookers are currently looking for new Talent, Toronto Models and Actors! If you are interested we highly recommend visiting www.maxagency.com and filling out an application. Wishing MAX continued success in the industry we’re looking forward to future press releases featuring individual models and talent and projects and finding out more about MAX Agency Toronto!

Contact:
Natalya O
MAX Agency
2063 Yonge St. Suite 202
Toronto, Ontario M4S-2A2
416-482-5392
http://www.maxagency.com