Venissimo Cheese opened its doors in Belmont Shore, Long Beach, Calif., on Saturday, November 8. Venissimo has two other shops in San Diego and Del Mar, Calif. Modeled after French fromageries, Venissimo sells hundreds of varieties of imported and domestic artisanal cheeses, many on an exclusive basis.

“All great cities have great cheese shops, so it was time that California’s fifth-largest city got a fun place to sample and buy all the best cheeses from all over the world,” said Gina Freize, President and Cheese Wiz. “Restaurants are offering cheese plates, television and magazines regularly feature fabulous fromage, and cheese parties are the new rage, so the time for enjoying truly great cheese has arrived.”

How popular is cheese? Americans consume an average of 35 pounds of cheese per person annually, and that figure is expected to increase to 38 pounds per person by the end of the decade. This year’s American Cheese Society competition featured 1100 cheeses in more than 70 categories. Venissimo stocks award-winning domestic and international cheeses, along with appropriate cheese accoutrements, including fresh bread, crackers, olives and such.

What makes Venissimo different than any other cheese shop is its mission to provide both a fun and educational buying experience. At Venissimo, any cheese can be sampled at any time, and every receipt includes the cheese name, phonetic pronunciation, country of origin, type of milk, description, and food and wine pairing suggestions. An intricate computer system remembers each customer’s favorites. Venissimo also makes signature hand-stuffed blue cheese olives, savory peppa goat bites, party platters, cheese sandwiches, gift baskets, floral cheese cakes for special occasions and more.

“Cheese can be intimidating, so our goal is to take away the intimidation and invite exploration” said Freize. “Our mission is to do for cheese what Starbucks® did for coffee - someday the camembert will be as recognized as the cappuccino.”
Venissimo is located at 195 Claremont Avenue (corner of 2nd & Claremont) and is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10-6, Sunday from 11-4 and closed on Monday.

For more information about Venissimo, visit Venissimo.com or drop by the store at 195 Claremont Avenue.

Having produced, written and directed over 60 theater productions and hundreds of corporate events in the past 10 years, Todd and Jennifer Vigiletti are finally taking their story to the stage! This dynamic couple has been a featured act across the United States appearing nearly 2500 times in various theaters, on television and in film.

Center Stage marks the grand opening of their newest venue in Fontana, Calif., and they are celebrating with “Through The Years” — a true musical extravaganza featuring highlights of this couples’ most popular performances as well as insights into their own personal story. The duo is supported by one of the hottest bands in the land and an amazing team of vocalists. Be the first to see this brand new show!

Shows are scheduled for November 7 and 8, 2008 at 7:30pm at Center Stage in Fontana. For tickets and more information please contact the box office at (909) 429-SHOW or send an email to info@centerstagefontana.com.

LONG BEACH, CA (November 5, 2008) – The Broadway musical, Sweeney Todd – The Demon Barber of Fleet Street will open the 2008-2009 Broadway in Long Beach Season at the Terrace Theater/Long Beach Performing Arts Center on December 5 and 6 at 8:00pm. Presented by Jam Theatricals, Sweeney Todd – The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, is the musical thriller that inspired the Tim Burton and Johnny Depp movie.

The 2008-2009 Broadway in Long Beach Season will also include the Broadway classic Bye Bye Birdie on March 21 at 2:00pm and 8:00pm; the musical-comedy phenomenon Hairspray on May 6 and May 7 at 7:30pm; and the international percussion spectacular, Stomp, on May 22 at 8:00pm and May 23 at 4:00pm and 8:00pm.

Jam Theatricals is a Chicago-based entertainment company that presents and produces Broadway engagements throughout North America. Founded in 1997 by Arny Granat, Jerry Mickelson, and Steve Traxler, Jam Theatricals manages subscription seasons in more than 30 cities. Jam has presented many notable national touring productions including CATS, The Producers, STOMP, Les Miserables, Mamma Mia!, Hairspray, Miss Saigon and Riverdance.

“We are thrilled to welcome back Jam Theatricals for a second fabulous season of Broadway at the Terrace Theater,” said Dan Spellens, Director of Theaters & Entertainment for the Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center. “This season’s shows are “top shelf” and we are hopeful that the community will strongly support this season’s efforts,” he concluded.

Tickets for Sweeney Todd are on sale now at all TicketMaster outlets and the Long Beach Performing Arts Center Main Box Office. Ticket prices are $50.00, $40.00, and $30.00. To charge by phone, please call (213) 480-3232, (714) 740-2000, (805) 583-8700, (619) 220-TIXS, or online at www.ticketmaster.com. The Box Office is located at 300 E. Ocean Boulevard, and is open from 10:00am-6:00pm Monday through Friday and 12:00pm-4:00pm on Saturday.

Subscriptions for the 2008-2009 Broadway in Long Beach Season are still available. Subscribers receive additional ticket discounts and the chance to purchase tickets to added shows before the general public. This year’s special season package includes Sweeney Todd, Bye Bye Birdie, and Hairspray. Subscriptions range from $85.00 to $150.00 for the three scheduled shows.

Stomp can be added to any subscription at an additional cost. Subscriptions may be purchased by calling (800) 714-5331. Individual ticket sales for Bye Bye Birdie, Hairspray, and Stomp will go on sale at a later date to be announced. For more information on subscription renewals or becoming a new subscriber, please visit www.jamtheatricals.com.

LongBeachThingsToDo.com has added new coupons! You can now download and print out special offers from Polly’s Coffee on 2nd Street, “Kinda” Lahaina Broiler in Seal Beach, Naples Cleaners in Naples and more. The ever-popular discount coupon for the Aquarium of the Pacific is also still available. See www.coupons.longbeachthingstodo.com for more information.

Discovery Map of Greater Long Beach’s travel partner, BookCheapAndGo.com, is offering two free Aquarium tickets (while supplies last) to anyone who signs up for an e-newsletter containing vacation ideas and travel deals. Sign up here to receive your unrestricted Aquarium tickets, valued at $20.95 each. You do have to provide your mailing address (so the tickets can be mailed to you), but your information will only be used as described here and will not be shared with any other party. You can also unsubscribe at any time.

Beginning in mid-October, travelers can fly non-stop between San Francisco International Airport (SFO) and Long Beach Airport (LGB) on JetBlue. The award-winning airline will add two daily flights between SFO and LGB on October 18; on November 2, a third daily flight will be incorporated into the schedule as well. Effective November 2, there will be departures from SFO at 7am, 11am and 4 pm. Returning flights from LGB will depart at 9am, 2pm and 6pm. Fares start at $49 one-way and include all the perks JetBlue customers love, such as unlimited free snacks. For more information, visit the JetBlue website.