February 19, 2016: Brazil Failing to Meet Clean Water Commitment for Summer Olympics, Odd Ingredients Becoming the Norm for Wedding Caterers, Tribeca Film Festival Partners With Snapchat for New Contest


1. BRAZIL FAILING TO MEET CLEAN WATER COMMITMENT FOR SUMMER OLYMPICS: Organizers of the Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro have long promised a major effort to clean its waters to provide safe venues for water sports, but just months away from the event, that commitment has been abandoned. ESPN: “Rio's final 2009 bid book included a seven-year commitment to tackling an environmental disaster that took decades to create. The widespread absence of modern sanitation was spun into an asset by the leaders of Rio's campaign. The direct, flattering appeal to the International Olympic Committee was this: Bestow the transformative power of your three-week event on our city. … Government and organizing committee officials long ago dropped the pretense that the bid's targets for reducing pollution would be met. … Athletes will get multiple vaccinations, douse themselves with hand sanitizer, shower as quickly as they can after racing and resort to home remedies from Listerine to Jagermeister, but no one can guarantee what precautions might be effective.” http://es.pn/1oqWRcJ

2. ODD INGREDIENTS BECOMING THE NORM FOR WEDDING CATERERS: Wedding caterers are fielding requests for unusual foods and menus that reflect a couple’s heritage or interests. The New York Times: “'Online ordering has made things that were previously inaccessible available to everyone,' said Anthony Dominguez, the executive chef at the Acqualina Resort and Spa in Sunny Isles Beach, Fla. 'Unheard-of ingredients or exotic foods like white truffles from Paris or slipper lobsters from Indonesia, both of which I got for clients, were flown to us overnight.'” http://nyti.ms/1WvHlaO

3. TRIBECA FILM FESTIVAL PARTNERS WITH SNAPCHAT FOR NEW CONTEST: A partnership between the Tribeca Film Festival and Snapchat will include a contest in which creators of some very, very short films will be invited to attend the festival. Mashable: “In the new Snapchat program, contestants are asked to film a comedic Story on the platform — with a maximum length of 200 seconds — then send the video to a panel of ‘talented storytellers and avid Snapchatters,’ including music producer/Snapachat star DJ Khaled.” http://on.mash.to/1mKxdyt

* LOCAL NEWS *

AUSTIN:  Microbrew pub Growler USA will open on February 27 with a grand opening party. Guests will receive a free plastic growler at the new venue, which will feature a 100-tap beverage wall including 60 Austin craft beers and a localized food menu.

BOSTON:  The Boston Beer & Cheese Fest will take place March 11-12 at Cyclorama at the Boston Center for the Arts. The event will feature 25 New England craft beer and cider makers, as well as 10 New England creameries.

CHICAGO:  Crain’s Chicago Business: “McCormick Place posted its best attendance last year in more than a decade, according to its operating agency. The convention center saw 2.4 million people walk through its doors, a 4 percent increase over 2014 and the most since 2004, when attendance surpassed 2.5 million, according to the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority.” http://bit.ly/212IDk6

Microphone and audio electronic manufacturer Shure Incorporated has promoted Ahren Hartman to associate vice president of engineering and Scott Sullivan to associate vice president of global product management.

LAS VEGAS:  Hotel California, the Eagles tribute, will return to M Resort Spa Casino on March 12.

Grant a Gift Austin Foundation's seventh annual Race For Hope and Fun Walk will take place April 30 at Town Square Las Vegas.

LOS ANGELES:  Vanity Fair Social Club will return for the third consecutive year surrounding the Oscars, this year at Platform, a new creative space in Culver City.

Tickets are now available for the 52nd Pasadena Showcase House of Design, which will take place April 17-May 15, except on Mondays.

Local event listings from the new Masterplanner: http://www.masterplanneronline.com/losangeles

MIAMI/SOUTH FLORIDA:  The Bass Ball, a benefit supporting the Bass Museum of Art, will take place Saturday at Collins Park. The evening includes an after-party, “Keep the Ball Rolling.” The featured entertainer is South African performance artist Athi-Patra Ruga.

NEW YORK:  The sixth annual NYC Vegetarian Food Festival will take place May 7-8 at the Metropolitan Pavilion. The event will feature cooking demonstrations and lectures and exhibitors including Rescue Chocolate, Pilot Kombucha, and Quorn Foods.

Local event listings from the new Masterplanner: http://www.masterplanneronline.com/newyork

ORLANDO/CENTRAL FLORIDA:  Four local chefs are semifinalists for the James Beard Awards in the category "Best Chef: South." Kathleen Blake of the Rusty Spoon, Scott Hunnel of Victoria & Albert's, and James and Julie Petrakis of the Ravenous Pig are among the 20 semifinalists in the region.

PHOENIX:  Found:Re Hotel has announced its on-site restaurant, Match Cuisine & Cocktails, which will serve globally inspired street food from executive chef Akos Szabo. The hotel and restaurant are slated to open in late spring.

SAN FRANCISCO:  Bay Area National Dance Week will take place April 22-May 1, featuring more than 600 free events including a kickoff event at Union Square.

TORONTO:  Imagine, an event focused on the latest in event and audiovisual technology, will take place March 9 at Mattamy Athletic Centre.

WASHINGTON, D.C.:  The Kennedy Center’s annual spring gala will pay tribute to Motown singer Marvin Gaye. The black-tie benefit will take place June 5 in the Kennedy Center Concert Hall and include a cocktail reception on the River Terrace, dinner on the Roof Terrace, and a patron’s reception after the concert.

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With contributions from Jenny Berg in Chicago, Alesandra Dubin in Los Angeles, Mitra Sorrells in Orlando, and Beth Kormanik, Michele Laufik, Jill Menze, Anna Sekula, and Ian Zelaya in New York.

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