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“GEMfest” – A Day of Empowerment & Celebration For Middle School Girls

02.25.20

On Saturday, February 29, middle school girls in grades 6, 7, and 8 are invited to attend Sage Hill School’s third annual GEMfest event – a celebratory conference that aims to inspire young girls to “leap into their passions” and educate them (and their parents) about empowerment, self-esteem, and independence. The day features a series of conversations with this year’s special guests + keynote speakers and various interactive workshops that attendees can choose from.

The event will also include an all-new Marketplace area featuring local businesses and non-profit organizations that attendees can visit & shop, as well as a sit-down lunch with approachable high school mentors.

This year, GEMfest welcomes three inspirational women to join its lineup of featured guests, including entrepreneurs like Sophia Amoruso, founder of Girlboss Media and Nasty Gal Clothing and Gorjana Reidel, founder of gorjana Jewelry. Additionally, Kellee Kim, a contestant on CBS’s Survivor season 39 and advocate for empowerment will be delivering this year’s keynote speech to close the event.

Featured workshops, which attendees will have an opportunity to sign-up for in advance upon registering, are planned to include topics such as self-defense, careers in science, public speaking, goal setting, coding and an introduction to bullet journaling.

The event will kick off with an opening session on intention setting with two fireside chats with special guests Gorjana Reidel and Sophia Amoruso. Immediately following, attendees will have an opportunity to explore the Marketplace where they can shop and mingle with local businesses and non-profit organizations. During the next portion of the event, attendees will partake in a hands-on workshop (which are selected prior to the event upon registering) while parents and chaperones are invited to attend a special session led by experts on how to help students thrive physically, emotionally, and academically during this period of their lives.

During a lunch break, students will be able to converse with high school mentors just before the final afternoon session begins. This portion of GEMfest will feature a dance performance and message from keynote speaker, Kellee Kim. To conclude the event, the GEM team will share an inspirational message with attendees encourage them to live authentically and be the best versions of themselves.

GEMfest will take place on Sage Hill’s campus, located at 20402 Newport Coast Drive, on Saturday, February 29, from 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. Tickets are now on sale and can be purchased online at gemfestoc.com. Space is limited, and two ticket options are available upon registration, including:

$17 tickets – for students, available online here

$27 tickets – for parents, available online here

Each student attendee will receive a swag bag filled with giveaways from participating sponsors including Tilly’s, B. Candy, Gloss Moderne, Gorjana Jewelry, Urban Decay Cosmetics, and Hu Kitchen. Parents and chaperones will also be given a gift bag with their own set of exclusive items. For more information, about this event, visit gemfestoc.com.

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FIne Mediterranean Cuisine from The Levant Region

02.24.20

During Dine Out Long Beach, one of the area’s finest Mediterranean restaurants, Ammatoli Mediterranean Bites is offering a three-course dinner for just $35 per person. It’s quite a deal and if you haven’t yet experienced Ammatoli you will be blown away by the cuisine and stylish and warm ambiance thanks to its owners' husband and wife team Sam and chef Dima Habibeh.

Ammatoli shines a spotlight on Levantine cuisine from the Middle East's Levant regions: Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, and Palestine. Chef Dima sources the highest quality ingredients available and the results are extraordinary flavors. Their fresh and creative menu of mezzas, kebabs, entrees, soups, salads, wraps, flatbreads, sides and desserts are made from scratch and health-oriented.

Favorites from the menu include Falafel Mezza's served with turnips, tomatoes and tahini sauce; and the perfectly fried Kibbeh with bulgur, wheat balls stuffed with ground beef and walnuts. The Fattoush salad was easily the best one I’ve ever ordered. It tasted like all of the ingredients were just picked that day: romaine lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, onion, parsley and radish, tossed with house dressing, sumac and toasted pita. You cannot go wrong by sharing a Mezza combo, that way you can try six of the hits from the Mezza selection. You can choose six! From the kebab and entrée menu, the grilled kebab special is exceptional, it comes with pita, sauce, rice and two sides such as tabbouleh, babaghannouj, French Fries, and Labne.

The Knafeh dessert is an incredible combination of shredded phyllo dough filled with white cheese blend, topped with orange blossom syrup and pistachios.

Dine Out Long Beach February 23 - 29, 2020
3 – Course Dinner. $35 per person, tax, and gratuity not included
+$8 Paired Glass of Wine or $6 Lebanese or Draft Beer

Mezzas -- Choice of one:

Grape Leaves with Beets Labne Puree -- rice, tomato, parsley, onion, and fresh mint rolled in grape leaves with roasted beets labne puree.
Spinach Kibbeh -- fried bulgur wheat balls stuffed with seasoned spinach and onions.
Soup -- red lentil or green lentil soup

Wine pairing: Savino, Pinot Grigio or Château Kefraya, Blanc de Blancs

Main Course -- Choice of One

Grilled Kebab -- grilled chicken or katfa kebab skewer served on a bed of turmeric rice with your choice of salad (greek, fattoush or tabbouleh)
Chicken Shawarma -- chicken shawarma served on a bed of turmeric rice with your choice of salad (greek, fattoush or tabbouleh)
Beef Shawarma - beef shawarma served on a bed of turmeric rice with your choice of salad (Greek, fattoush or tabbouleh)
Ammatoli’s Signature Vegetarian Special -- Hummus, tabbouleh, two falafels and two grape leaves

Wine pairing: Marco Bonfante, Stella Rosa or Château Kefraya Les Bretèches, Blend

Dessert -- Choice of one:

Ammatoli’s Homemade Baklava -- baked layers of phyllo dough pastry, crushed walnuts and pistachio, topped with our homemade orange blossom syrup and pistachios!
Basbousa Semolina Coconut Cake -- basbousa semolina coconut cake drenched with orange blossom syrup and garnished with almonds and rose petals. a traditional Egyptian dessert made throughout the Levant, especially during wintertime.

Wine pairing: Moncigale 'Roquatelle', Cotes De Province, Fruité Rosé or Paul Jaboulet “Parallèle 45” Blanc

Menu available from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday; 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

Open 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday to Thursday; 11 a.m. to 10:p.m. Friday and Saturday.

Ammatoli Mediterranean Bites is at 385 E. 3rd St. in Long Beach. 562.435.0808.

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