– Cast Iron Studios, downtown Bellevue’s newest event and culinary activity space is officially open for business.  Located in the heart of downtown Bellevue, Cast Iron Studios will be the private event venue, catering hub, and location for regular food and drink workshops for Heavy Restaurant Group, owners of Purple Café and Wine Bar, Barrio Mexican Kitchen & Bar, and Lot No. 3 Gastropub in Bellevue, Kirkland, Seattle and Woodinville.

Cast Iron Studios was designed to host both intimate and large private events and parties as well as specialty food and wine workshops led by the company’s cast of expert chefs, wine directors and bartenders. The space will also serve as a headquarters for the company’s popular catering services.

“Our vision of a dedicated event and workshop space has come together at just the right time and in just the right place,” said Larry Kurofsky, owner of Heavy Restaurant Group. “We are excited to have the opportunity of sharing our culinary passion with food enthusiasts as well as offer the region’s top businesses a new and exciting space for all levels of events. The space has been designed to comfortably accommodate everything from an intimate private gathering to a large corporate event to our specialty workshops.”

Private Events & Catering

With space for up to 250 guests, Cast Iron Studios allows Heavy Restaurant Group to meet the growing demand for large parties – those that go well beyond capacity at one of their individual restaurants.  In fact, Cast Iron Studios, which is connected to both Purple and Lot No. 3 in Bellevue, can expand to include both restaurant spaces and parties of up to 500 people.

The Food

With full access to Purple Café’s sophisticated and fresh Northwest fare and wine, Barrio’s modern Mexican cuisine and cocktails, and Lot No. 3’s menu of gastropub comfort food, craft brews and spirits, events at Cast Iron Studios have one of the widest catering selections available.  Expert staff is available to assist in designing the perfect food and drink pairings for all types of events.

In addition to events, Cast Iron Studios is also the company’s home base for their growing pick-up and delivery catering services ranging from reception packages and box lunches to dinner buffets.

Workshops

One of the most anticipated elements of Cast Iron Studios is the series of specialty food events, wine tastings and cocktail classes. These workshops allow Heavy Restaurant Group’s expert staff to share their experience and enthusiasm for all things food and drink from Baking 101 to the basics of mixing classic cocktails.

“We want Cast Iron Studios to be a place where people could come together and learn about the joys of exceptional cuisine and beverages. Our custom workshops, allow us to engage with those passionate about food, wine, beer and spirits in an intimate and interactive fashion,” said Kurofsky.

The current schedule includes seven different workshops in June and July with topics ranging from Pacific Northwest Cuisine taught by Harry Mills, Executive Chef for Heavy Restaurant Group, to A History of Whiskey led by Chris Faber, Bar Manager at Lot No. 3.  A schedule and description of upcoming Cast Iron Studio workshops can be found online at www.castiron-studios.com/workshops .

Custom workshops can also be created with the help of Heavy Restaurant Group’s team of chefs, wine directors and bartenders to make for a fun and hands-on learning experience with friends and family or as a great team building activity for local businesses of all sizes.

Cast Iron Studios is now open at 10650 NE 4th St. adjacent to Purple Café and Lot No. 3 in Bellevue.  Those interested in learning more about Cast Iron Studios can visit: www.castiron-studios.com. Private tours of Cast Iron Studio’s event space can be arranged by contacting David Yusen at davidy@heavyrestaurantgroup.com.

About Heavy Restaurant Group

Heavy Restaurant Group began in 2001, when Larry and Tabitha Kurofsky opened the first Purple Cafe and Wine Bar in Woodinville with the goal of providing an experience that delivered “approachable expertise”. Purple paired a global wine selection with Northwest cuisine made from local seasonal ingredients—all in an informal atmosphere. All menu items were designed to be enhanced by wine pairings and vice versa.  The idea took off, and in 2003, a second Purple Cafe and Wine Bar opened in Kirkland.  In 2006, Purple opened in downtown Seattle, followed in 2009 by a fourth location in downtown Bellevue.  In 2008, the company continued to build on its experience pairing food and drinks with the creation of Barrio in Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood, a restaurant that combines Mexican cuisine with innovative craft cocktails in an energetic urban space.  In 2010 the company introduced downtown Bellevue’s Lot No. 3, a restaurant and bar that combines comfort food, classic cocktails, and craft brews in a vintage industrial setting. And in May 2012, Heavy Restaurant Group unveiled Cast Iron Studios, an event venue and Heavy Restaurant Group’s catering hub featuring a schedule of regular special food and drink workshops.

My Marketing Center will provide a vital marketing tool for MRIS’s “Gen M” (new generation) suite of real-time, integrated business tools, accessible by nearly 45,000 Mid-Atlantic real estate professionals based in Washington, D.C., Maryland, Virginia, and portions of Pennsylvania, Delaware, and West Virginia.

The Marketing Center will provide MRIS customers with free and unlimited access to an integrated suite of professionally designed and simple to create digital and print marketing products and tools including Flyers, eFlyers, Postcards, ePostcards, and Virtual Tours. In addition to supporting marketing and promotional efforts, there’s productivity savings as well since MRIS customers will pull in real-time listing data – including photos –to create any of the marketing materials without having to re-enter data or upload images, tasks agents already complete when they create the listing.

“My Marketing Center will be the fastest way to reach home buyers and sellers with real-time, in-depth marketing information instantly. In seconds, a link to a polished Virtual Tour is posted to Realtor.com or to the agents website, another click and an eFlyer with the broker’s template and branding is posted on Facebook or sent out on Twitter,” said John L. Heithaus, MRIS Chief Marketing Officer, adding, “The faster an agent can respond in today’s digitally-driven economy in real time, the more successful he or she will be to generate more sales commissions.”

MRIS and Imprev also announced that a Premium suite of digital and printable marketing products and tools will made available to MRIS member agents and brokers at a low-cost. The lineup of Premium marketing products is expected to include access to premium Craigslist Display Ads, eCards (electronic Greeting Cards), Brochures, Digital Brochures, Newsletters, eNewsletters and more.

“Agents need three things from any business provider: quality, ease of use and value,” said Renwick Congdon, Imprev CEO and Founder. “At the end of the day, the finished product is what the consumer sees, so the quality of the product must reflect well on the agent and brokerage. Of course, if the agent can’t easily use the system they won’t, and cost is always a consideration. MRIS has addressed all three requirements with the ‘Gen M’ My Marketing Center. ”

About MRIS

MRIS is real estate in real time™, enabling its customers to list and sell nearly $93 million in real estate each day. In 2011, the company facilitated $33.6 billion in cooperative broker sales. A leading systems developer and integrator of real estate information technology and databases, MRIS connects its customers with timely, accurate and actionable data with a growing portfolio of technology solutions. This includes broker and agent software products, an industry-leading consumer real estate portal, HomesDatabase.com and many others. Behind the scenes, the CURE Solutions Group subsidiary of MRIS provides back-end technology to other MLS systems through CURE, a proprietary solution. MRIS serves nearly 45,000 real estate professionals spanning a 22,000 square mile section of the Mid-Atlantic region, including Maryland, Virginia, Washington, D.C. and markets located in Pennsylvania, Delaware and West Virginia.

About Imprev

Imprev, Inc. is the leading provider of private-label Marketing and Design Centers for real estate brokerage firms, and is licensed to more than 200,000 real estate agents worldwide.  Imprev-powered Marketing Centers provide brokers and agents with digital and printable marketing products and tools, including iPad presentations, Craigslist display ads, automated eMarketing, social marketing (Facebook, Twitter) material,  Virtual Tours, Video, Flyers and eFlyers, Postcards and ePostcards and more. Imprev helps agents simply and cost-effectively create an impressive personal image merged elegantly with the influence of their company’s brand.  Established in 2000, Imprev is headquartered in Bellevue, Washington.  Visit Imprev at www.imprev.com.

Ramp captain Kara Macias, of Chown Hardware, will build a free wheelchair access ramp for Guonei Liang of Renton.

Art Castilleja, the 2012 Rampathon chair explains, “Builder captains will lead their teams in constructing access ramps giving recipients the ability to get in and out of their homes with greater ease and flexibility.  For many of them, it will be the first time in years they have not had to rely on family or friends just to get in and out of their homes.”  According to Castilleja, each ramp represents a unique challenge for the team as they adapt design and construction to the existing landscape and the recipient’s needs.

The Master Builders Care Foundation is the philanthropic non-profit arm of the Master Builders Association of King and Snohomish Counties.    Founded in 1909, the Master Builders Association is a trade association comprised of nearly 3,000 companies involved in the residential and light commercial construction industry. It is the nation’s oldest and largest local home building association affiliated with the National Association of Home Builders.

“We’ve evolved over the years and wanted a new name to reflect who we are now,” said Barbara Langdon, LifeWire Executive Director. “We’re not just on the Eastside. We provide comprehensive services and programs all around the community, and LifeWire is like a ‘lifeline’ for a lot of people who are in an abusive relationship.”

LifeWire is an innovator of highly successful programs, including a 24-hour crisis line, shelters that provide safe housing, advocacy services, groups for children and teens, a Latina outreach program, counseling, and women’s support groups. These programs are critical when you consider that last year, LifeWire answered nearly 11,000 crisis line calls and worked with almost 5,200 local victims of domestic violence. Since 1982, LifeWire has served more than 115,000 victims and their children, helping them escape from abusive homes and relationships.

“This agency literally saved my life,” said Stacy, a LifeWire client who experienced domestic violence.  “Without them, I wouldn’t have been able to move into a safe place, find a new job, and help my children heal. It’s made the difference for me from being desperate, to starting a new life and having hope.”

“This is what we do,” said Langdon. “We’ve been providing this full spectrum of comprehensive care all along, and now, with our new name LifeWire, we know that people will better understand the range of services and prevention that we provide.”

LifeWire drives prevention through community-based initiatives to cause change in behaviors and attitudes about domestic violence. LifeWire’s recent World of Hope dinner and auction provided a platform to educate the community about ways to prevent domestic violence and highlighted the continuum of care, raising $400,000 for agency programs.

“We are thrilled with the response from our community, and the generosity of our donors,” said Kelly Becker, LifeWire Development Director. “This is a time for all of us to come together and celebrate the progress we’ve made over the past 30 years. As we move forward as LifeWire, we will continue to look for new and innovative ways to address domestic violence.”

For more information, please visit www.lifewire.org. You can also contact Kelly Becker at kellypb@lifewire.org or call 425-562-8840, ext. 253.

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LifeWire (formerly Eastside Domestic Violence Program) is one of the largest domestic violence service providers in Washington state. For over 30 years, we have provided safety to victims of domestic violence, offering a comprehensive range of programs and services that help people regain strength and courage. As an ally, problem-solver and an advocate, we not only assist victims in crisis, we also partner with our communities to educate our citizens so we can prevent abuse before it happens. Our goal is to create a safe environment for everyone. If you or someone you know is in an abusive relationship, call LifeWire’s 24 hour Crisis Line at 425-746-1940 or 1-800-827-8840. Visit LifeWire at www.lifewire.org. 

Kathleen Collum, AAA Travel Store buyer and manager, will share packing tips and tricks to make the most of your packing space, showcase the latest travel accessories, and demonstrate the latest gear to help travelers comply with flying regulations.

There is no cost to attend and parking is available on site. RSVP’s are appreciated as space is limited.

May 8, 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.

AAA Bellevue

14404 NE 20^th St. – Suite 201

Bellevue, WA 98007

RSVP: (425) 637-9209

AAA Washington has been serving members and the traveling public since 1904.  The organization provides a variety of exclusive benefits, including roadside assistance, discounts, maps and personalized trip planning, to its 1,048,000 members. In addition, its full-service travel and insurance agencies provide products and services for members and the public. Additional information is available through the company’s offices in Washington and northern Idaho, at AAA.com, or by calling 1-800-562-2582.

Eileen Cho, president of the chapter and a student at Bellevue College, said: “It’s a huge honor. This award really capped a hugely successful year, where we helped a lot of people.” Rotaract, part of Rotary International, is a leadership and community service organization for students and young professionals.

The 40 active members of BC’s chapter organized several projects to benefit communities in foreign countries. Most recently, they collected 300 pounds of donations, including school and art supplies, clothes, soccer balls and other items, which were handed out to needy Peruvian children by six members who traveled to the country. They also spent time on the trip painting buildings at schools and orphanages.

Earlier this year, club members staged a bake sale that raised money for “End Polio Now,” Rotary’s polio eradication program. The money, which was matched by the Bellevue Rotary Club, went to vaccinate children. Also this past year, members collected food for local food banks and volunteered to help athletes train for the Special Olympics.

On May 8 and 10, the club will hold another bake sale to raise money for mosquito nets for several villages in Papua New Guinea, helping to prevent malaria. Another upcoming fundraiser hopes to raise $750 to purchase backpacks, walking sticks, school supplies, vitamin supplements and textbooks for blind children in Nepal. And the club organized an event called “The Ability Experience,” to be held May 17-18 on campus, that seeks to educate students and the public about global health and disability issues.

For more information, check out the club’s latest video at http://vimeo.com/39957928, or visit its Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/rotaractatbc.

Good things come in dozens – donuts, roses and now a unique collection of properties featuring character and charm from Coast Hotels & Resorts! Offering a seamless blend of exceptional value, comfort, first-rate service and amenities throughout Alaska, California, Hawaii, Oregon, and Washington, Coast Hotels & Resorts is celebrating its guests at all 12 properties with a new contest throughout the remainder of the year – 12 in 2012.

Kicking off in May, every Coast Hotels & Resorts property will randomly select three guests to receive one of the following rewards upon check-in:

• A free room upgrade
• An overnight stay for only $12
• 1,200 Coast Reward bonus points

“We are passionate about offering a unique collection of affiliated properties and eager to celebrate the heart and soul of Coast Hotels & Resorts – our guests,” said Coast Hotels & Resorts president and CEO David Cottler. “Our properties continually strive to surprise and delight guests and we’re looking forward to taking that one step further with the launch of our new 12 in 2012 promotion.”

Additionally, anyone who stays at a Coast Hotels & Resorts property between May 1, 2012 and December 31, 2012 will be entered to win a grand prize of two free nights at all 12 Coast Hotels & Resorts properties, for a total of 24 free nights to use throughout the following year. The grand prize drawing will take place in January 2013.

With its recent rebranding now complete, Coast Hotels & Resorts merges the value of a national brand with the individual attention and appeal of a boutique hotel at each of its 12 properties. Consisting of a variety of owned, managed and leased personality-driven properties, Coast Hotels & Resorts prides itself on providing a friendly and approachable atmosphere for guests, and strives to constantly surprise and delight:

• Walk-in freezer access for game hunters visiting Alaska’s Coast International Inn
• Bike rentals for Maui Coast guests wishing to tour the island on two wheels
• Historic charm and timeless beauty at The Benson Hotel – a favorite for celebrities and U.S. presidents visiting Portland, Oregon

“We pride ourselves on offering a diverse group of properties and are eager to show our appreciation to our guests,” said Cottler. “We remain committed to helping visitors continue to discover all that the West Coast has to offer with a blend of signature comfort, value and service from Coast Hotels & Resorts.”

Coast Hotels & Resorts consists of 12 West Coast properties which include:

• Anchorage, Ala.: Coast International Inn
• Seattle, Wash.: The Roosevelt; The Paramount; Coast Gateway Hotel
• Bellevue, Wash.:  Coast Bellevue
• Wenatchee, Wash.: Coast Wenatchee Center Hotel
• Portland, Ore.: The Benson; The Paramount
• Kihei, Hawaii: Maui Coast
• Santa Barbara, Calif.: West Beach Inn
• Burbank, Calif.: Safari Inn; Coast Anabelle Hotel

For more information or to book your next stay, please visit www.coasthotels.com.

About Coast Hotels & Resorts

Coast Hotels & Resorts has owned, managed and franchised a unique collection of distinctive West Coast properties throughout the U.S. and Canada for more than 40 years. Known for providing a seamless blend of comfort, first-rate service and exceptional value, Coast properties continually surprise and delight guests with consistently friendly accommodations and a style and personality all their own. Coast Hotels & Resorts are always conveniently located, affording both leisure and business travelers easy access to restaurants, theaters, local sight-seeing attractions and major airports. Current U.S. properties are located in Alaska, Washington, Oregon, California and Hawaii. For more information, please visit our website at www.coasthotels.com/. If you would like to stay in touch with Coast Hotels & Resorts, please “Like” us on Facebook at Coast Hotels & Resorts USA or “Follow” us on Twitter at @CoastHotelsUSA.

“With the opportunities presented last November, we knew we had to bring our concept to Washington state to meet the needs of this region’s consumers,” said David Trone, who co-owns Total Wine & More with his brother Robert.  “We know that with our vast selection of more than 8,000 wines, 3,000 spirits and 2,500 beers, we will exceed the demand for not only hard-to-find labels, but locally produced products as well.”

The new Bellevue store marks the 81st location in the U.S. for Total Wine & More.  With 30,000 sq. ft. of space, Total Wine will offer an unparalleled selection, greater than any other retailer in the Seattle-area.  Consumers will also find low prices and excellent service from the company’s expertly trained staff.  In addition, Total Wine will feature a climate-controlled wine cellar for rare selections, a walk-in humidor for fine cigars, as well as provide space for private tastings, consumer education courses, community meetings and special events.

Total Wine regularly features wine, spirits and beer tastings with a focus on wine-producing regions and seasonal topics.  All employees go through an extensive three-week training program covering the various regions, production methods, varietals, brew styles and tasting analysis before stepping onto the sales floor.  The company also offers ongoing training and a chance to meet with the world’s key wine producers.  Once a year, Total Wine treats top staff to a trip to California’s major wine regions for a six-day training session, as well as a 12-day trip to Europe’s key wine regions every other year, to further enhance their overall knowledge.

The Bellevue location of Total Wine & More is accepting applications for all position levels, from cashier to manager.  To learn more about Total Wine and apply for employment, visit www.totalwine.com.

About Total Wine & More

Total Wine & More operates 80 wine superstores in 11 states, with expansion reaching 14 states by year’s end.  The company’s vast selection of products, combined with low everyday prices and expertly trained wine associates, brings a unique shopping experience to the consumer.  Total Wine & More has the distinction of being Beverage Dynamic’s 2008 Retailer of the Year, Market Watch’s 2006 Retailer of the Year, and Wine Enthusiast’s 2004 Retailer of the Year.  Since opening its first store in 1991, Total Wine & More has been committed to being the premier wine retailer in every community that it serves.  For more information and store locations, please visit www.totalwine.com.

Winemaker Aryn Morell has brought his California wine industry sensibilities to Cliff Otis and Jim Rubstello’s iconic Matthews Estate, and makes no apologies for asking prices for Tenor releases that he feels are in line with the best wines the world has to offer. Anyone who has tasted these wines will agree.

When brand manager Eric Swikard first brought the Tenor line to the team at Cypress Lounge & Wine Bar at Westin Bellevue, an all-Washington wine bar (except for one Oregon Pinot Noir), the staff knew it was something special. Tenor Merlot was placed on the list and the Sauvignon Blanc followed as soon as it was available.

“We really wanted our wines on the Cypress menu,” said Swikard. “We respect the mission and quality of the wine list, and feel that we belong there.”

Picking up a super-premium priced Merlot and Sauv Blanc to offer on a glass pour may not make sense for many venues, but Cypress was happy to take on the challenge. “We take very seriously our job to showcase the best Washington wines to the rest of the world,” said Jim McGlashan, General Manager for the Westin Bellevue.

Having the right hardware to minimize risk helps, too. Cypress invested in a cruvinet wine preservation and dispensing system that stores wines up to 60 days, making it possible to keep expensive open inventory with minimal waste. But the reality is that once a bottle of Tenor is opened, it doesn’t stick around for long. “Whenever we taste our best customers on Tenor, they inevitably end up buying a glass, if not a whole bottle,” said McGlashan. “Tenor has been an addition that has made good sense for our business.”

Swikard and Cliff Otis’ son Bryan join Westin Bellevue chef Mark Santiago tableside in Cypress for an intimate, six-course paired wine dinner on May 19^th, featuring three wines from Tenor and two from Matthews Estate. The lineup includes the 2008 “1:1”- Proprietary Blend, which recently won the Sommelier Challenge- An International Wine Competition  “Platinum” rating, the 2008 Tenor Merlot, which took Gold at the Seattle Wine Awards, the 2010 Tenor Sauv Blanc earning “Excellent” from Washington Wine Report, along with Seattle Wine Awards Gold winner 2008 Matthews Claret, and the 2009 Matthews Syrah which also earned “Excellent/ Exceptional from Washington Wine Report. The wine alone is worth the ticket price.

Cypress Lounge & Wine Bar is located at 600 Bellevue Way, NE, Bellevue. For more information and to make a reservation for this event, click here email gregory.williams@Westin.com